In a concerning report, the Maharashtra Road Crash Report 2022 has revealed that Pune witnessed a total of 871 accidents last year, resulting in a tragic toll of 325 lives. Out of these accidents, 315 were classified as fatal incidents, emphasizing the pressing need for improved road safety measures.
The report highlights the significant impact of vulnerable road users, including pedestrians, cyclists, and two-three-wheeler riders, who accounted for nearly 95 percent of the total fatalities in these accidents.
According to the data, 325 lives were lost, with two and three-wheeler occupants comprising 59 percent of the casualties, pedestrians at 34 percent, cyclists at 2 percent, and four-wheeler occupants at 5 percent.
Prashant Inamdar, a civic activist and the convenor of Pedestrians First, stressed the importance of prioritizing the safety of pedestrians and cyclists, especially given their vulnerability.
“The increasing contribution of pedestrian and cyclist deaths in road accidents is alarming. This trend is attributed to faulty city road designs, construction flaws, and unsafe elements,” Inamdar remarked.
He further stated, “We submitted the ‘Pedestrian Policy’ to the Urban Street Design Guideline in 2016, which was approved by the general body in August 2016. However, seven years later, there has been no progress in its implementation. City roads should adhere to the Urban Street Design Guideline to remove these unsafe elements and reduce the number of pedestrian and cyclist fatalities.”
The report also revealed that November 2022 witnessed the highest number of fatal crashes, with 40 incidents, while December recorded the highest number of grievous injury crashes at 52.
Regarding the nature of fatal crashes, hit-and-run cases accounted for the most significant share, with 221 cases, followed by 51 incidents of being hit from the back, 30 incidents of being hit from the side, and 13 head-on collision accidents.
Furthermore, the report shed light on the roads, with national and other roads in the district registering the highest number of fatal accidents and injuries. Pune city saw 191 fatal accidents on other roads, followed by 93 on national highways and 31 on state highways.
The data also revealed that more men (268) lost their lives in these accidents compared to women (57), with men aged between 18-45 years constituting the majority of road accident fatalities in Pune city.
Additionally, the report highlighted that the deadliest time on the road in Pune city was between 21:00 and 3:00, with 49 fatal crashes and 51 deaths occurring during this time frame.
