Accidents rise in 8 districts, but fatalities dip across State

Chennai has recorded an increase in the number of road accidents by 4.50 per cent. The city has registered 7,586 road accidents in 2018, which is an increase by 327 from 2017.

Though there has been an increase in the number of accidents, fatalities have been brought down from 1,300 in 2017 to 1,263 in 2018. It is a decrease by 2.85 per cent.

Among the eight districts, Kanniyakumari has registered a whopping increase in road accidents by 17.86 per cent. The official data reveals that the district has registered 1,386 accidents in 2018. But, in 2017, the number stood at 1,176.

Thoothukudi has registered an increase of 8.33 per cent, closely followed by Tirunelveli with 8.05 per cent. While Thoothukudi recorded 1,340 accidents in 2018 and 1,237 in 2017, Tirunelveli witnessed 2,442 in 2018 and 2,260 in 2017.

In the fourth position, Tiruvarur registered an increase of 6.17 per cent by recording 964 accidents in 2018.

Other districts, including Ramnathapuram, Karur and Pudukottai, have recorded an increase of 1.31, 0.91 and 0.90 per cent respectively.

Meanwhile, Cuddalore registered a dip (2.76 per cent) in the number of accidents by recording 3,493 in 2018 and 3,592 in 2017. It is closely followed by Villupuram with 3,262 road mishaps, 3,191 in Coimbatore, 3,176 in Kancheepuram, 3,158 in Salem and 3,063 in Tirupur.

Sivaganga (21.62 per cent), Coimbatore (15.27 per cent), Nagapattinam (14.96 per cent) and Villupuram (11.89 per cent) have reduced the number of accidents with a wide margin.

All districts in Tamil Nadu have registered a dip in number of fatal road accidents. While Thanjavur registered a 49.23 per cent decrease, Erode (43.50 per cent), Ariyalur (40.96 per cent) and Tiruvarur (41.42 per cent) have also registered a sharp decline.

According to the Road Safety Millennium goal, the target was to bring down the fatalities to at least 11,962 in 2018. But the State missed the target by 254 accidents and achieved 98 per cent of the target.

A top official attached to the State Transport Authority said, “We will be studying the eight districts in the list to ascertain the increase in the road mishaps. All measures will be taken towards reducing road accidents in the State.”