Road accidents killed 1,257 on Delhi roads in 2023

Pedestrians, two-wheeler riders put together account for around 80% of the deaths, according to city police report; marginal decline over 2022 numbers

Road accidents claimed 1,257 lives in the national capital last year, with pedestrians accounting for most of the deaths (43%), according to the Delhi police’s ‘Road Crash Fatalities Report 2023’. According to the report, which was released by Police Commissioner Sanjay Arora, two-wheeler riders were the second-most vulnerable group, accounting for 38% of the deaths. It also suggested a marginal decline in fatalities from 2022, when 1,264 commuters died on city roads. Special Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Ajay Chaudhary told reporters that concerted efforts by the department led to a reduction in road crashes. “There has been a 20% fall in road crash deaths over the past decade. Continuing our endeavour to save lives, we have now increased focus on more pedestrian-centric traffic management,” he added. The report showed an increase in the number of prosecutions for traffic violations from 4,38,052 cases in 2022 to 6,39,097 in 2023. The police said they had identified 10 ‘black hotspots’, where the number of deaths has been higher compared to other parts of the Capital. These included Mukarba Chowk, Kashmere Gate Chowk, Burari Chowk, Britannia Chowk, Bhalswa Chowk, and Mori Gate roundabout. Apart from these, 10 other roads in Delhi recorded 10 or more deaths last year, including the NH-8, Kanjhawala Road, NH-24, Patel Road, Pankha Road, Vikas Marg, and Narela Road, Mr. Chaudhary said. The focus now is on designing the road infrastructure in a way that reduces the chances of accidents, a senior police officer said. The police said with the help of insights from the report, their traffic wing will now focus on the safety of pedestrians and cyclists. The police said they will hold more awareness drives and take action against those driving without helmets and flouting zebra crossing rules.

Published - October 31, 2024 12:00 am IST