Rash, drunk driving & speeding behind spike in road accidents

Ranchi: Jharkhand witnessed a steady rise in the number of road accidents since 2020 except for 2024. Moreover, the number of fatalities, unlike the national trend, was more than those who were injured, except in 2020, statistics provided by the govt revealed. A total of 24,819 road accidents took place in the state between 2020 and 2024, leading to 18,739 deaths and 17,164 injuries.

Officials in the National Crime Record Bureau (NCRB) and the state govt said over-speeding, dangerous and rash driving, and driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs were the top three causes of accidents and high fatalities in the state. During the budget session of the assembly last month, Congress MLA Pradeep Yadav had expressed concern over the alarming rise in accidents in the past four years.

State transport minister Deepak Birua had assured the house that the state govt was taking various measures, including providing breathalysers, to the districts for checking drunk driving. He added that govt would introduce road safety in the school syllabi for creating awareness on accidents among students.

Govt sources said the state registered 4,405 accidents, 3,044 deaths and 3,295 injuries in 2020. There were 4,728 cases, 3,513 casualties and 3,271 injuries in 2021. The number of cases in 2022 was 5,175, with 3,898 deaths and 3,747 injuries. Similarly, 5,315 cases were reported with 4,173 fatalities and 3,585 injuries in 2023. The number of cases in 2024 was, however, 5,196, and with 4,114 deaths and 3,266 injuries, the figures were slightly less than the preceding years.

Meanwhile, the first two months of the current year registered 1,090 incidents compared to 988 in the corresponding period last year. The number of fatalities and injuries was 913 and 652 this year, compared to 781 and 537, respectively, last year.

Speaking on the issue, DIG Dhananjay Kumar, who is part of the road safety committee, said, "Normally, the injuries are 2.5 times the number of deaths in accidents across the country. However, the casualties are more in Jharkhand. The emergency services and the good Samaritan policy should be encouraged for improved treatment of injured."

He also said over-speeding was a major cause of accidents, leading to the death of 9,820 people and injury to 8,465 between 2020 and 2023.

Stressing that over-speeding remained the major cause of accidents, joint transport commissioner Pradeep Kumar said it was the foremost cause of accidents in 2024 and the early part of 2025 as well.

"We are installing high-definition CCTV cameras at blackspots, which would detect over-speeding vehicles and automatically fine the owner. Around 60 to 70 cameras will be set up in the first phase. Among urban places, over 50 such cameras have been installed in Ranchi city," the joint transport commissioner said.

In addition, the govt would provide speed radar guns to each district, he said, adding that the guns would be integrated into the Vahan portal and could be used at any place to detect over-speeding and charge fines.