Kerala Ranks Third in Road Accidents Nationwide, Government Takes Measures to Curb Fatalities
Kerala has secured the third position in the country for road accidents, as per the 2022 Road Accident Statistics published by the Ministry of Surface Transport. This places the state behind Tamil Nadu and Madhya Pradesh, indicating a rise from its previous fifth position in 2019. The data, compiled before the implementation of AI cameras in the state, highlights the urgent need for improved road safety measures.
In 2022 alone, Kerala recorded 43,910 road accidents, marking a significant increase from the 37,729 incidents reported in 2021. Tamil Nadu, consistently topping the charts since 2019, maintained its lead with 64,105 accidents, while Madhya Pradesh secured the second position with 54,432 accidents.
The recent shift in Kerala’s ranking has spurred authorities to address road safety concerns more aggressively. Post-June 2023, the state has reportedly witnessed a decline in the rate of deaths due to road accidents, according to government statistics. Although the exact impact of this reduction requires further analysis, early indicators suggest a positive trend.
While Kerala moved up to the third position in the overall accident count, it slid to the 16th position in accident-related deaths, compared to its 17th position in 2021. However, the death toll increased from 3,429 in 2021 to 4,317 in 2022, signaling the severity of the road safety challenge.
Uttar Pradesh emerged as the state with the highest accident-related fatalities, recording 22,595 lives lost among 41,746 accidents, with a death rate of 13.4 percent. Tamil Nadu (17,884) secured the second position, followed by Maharashtra (15,224) in third place. The top five states, including Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka, accounted for a staggering 73.8 percent of fatalities.
Disturbingly, two-wheeler accidents in Kerala claimed the lives of 534 individuals in 2022 due to the absence of helmets, with an additional 2,490 sustaining injuries. The majority of accidents occurred in rural areas, with 3,227 fatalities on rural roads and 1,090 on urban roads.
The Kerala government has recognized the urgency of addressing this road safety crisis and is expected to implement stringent measures to mitigate accidents and enhance road safety awareness in the state.
