In the year 2023, Maharashtra faced a concerning surge in road accidents, recording a staggering 34,114 incidents that resulted in 15,909 fatalities and injuries to 20,860 individuals, as per statistics released by the state transport department. Despite a 2.2% increase in road accidents compared to 2022, Mumbai reported a noteworthy drop of 23% in such incidents.
Expressing deep concerns over the high number of road accidents, A V Shenoy, a senior transport expert associated with Mumbai Mobility Forum and Mumbai Vikas Samiti, stated, “Maharashtra currently holds the third position in the country concerning the highest number of road accidents. The victims, unfortunately, predominantly fall in the age group of 25 to 45 years, underlining a critical demographic affected by these incidents.”
Data from the state transport department reveals that in 2022, Maharashtra documented 33,383 road accidents. Notably, major highways connecting Mumbai to Pune and Nagpur reported the highest number of accidents, according to sources within the state transport department. Further details from Mumbai traffic police data indicate a decrease in road accident deaths compared to the preceding year. In 2022, there were 371 deaths in 1,895 road accidents, whereas in 2023, the figures dropped to 283 deaths in 1,473 mishaps.
The Samruddhi Mahamarg and Mumbai-Pune Expressway reported the highest number of accidents in 2023. Covering Nagpur, Aurangabad, Pune, and Thane, the Samruddhi Mahamarg, with Nagpur being identified as the most accident-prone zone, reported 1,239 road accidents, resulting in 141 lives lost between December 2022 and 2023. The Nagpur stretch alone witnessed 656 accidents, including 80 fatalities, between December 2022 and October 2023.
An official from the state transport department stated, “Efforts to improve the situation on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway seem promising.” In 2023, the expressway witnessed 153 accidents, down from 198 in 2022 and 200 in 2021. However, fatalities from accidents on expressways display a concerning trend, with 63 deaths in 2023, 92 in 2022, and 88 in 2021.
Causes of Accidents:
Shenoy highlighted road engineering as a major contributor to the increasing number of accidents. He stressed the need for thorough road planning and engineering to identify and address potential black spots and accident-prone areas. Additionally, issues such as illegal hawkers encroaching on footpaths, unauthorized parking, inadequate signage, and missing road markings were identified as contributing factors to accidents. Regarding driver behavior, Shenoy mentioned overspeeding, wrong-side driving, lane violations, and lack of helmet usage among bikers as significant risk factors for accidents.
As a corrective measure, Shenoy proposed the establishment of a road safety commissioner similar to the railway safety commissioner. He emphasized the importance of conducting thorough investigations after each accident to identify the role of road construction in contributing to accidents and implementing measures to prevent future occurrences. Additionally, Shenoy suggested deploying traffic wardens, removing illegal hawkers, increasing CCTV surveillance, and curbing illegal parking to address issues at accident-prone spots. Engineering solutions such as installing signboards, painting road markings, creating pedestrian walkways, constructing speed bumps, and smoothing uneven road surfaces near flyovers were also recommended to enhance road safety.
