2-wheeler mishaps, fatalities up in TN post COVID outbreak

According to the ‘Road Accident Analysis in Tamil Nadu - September 2020’ by the Transport department, the share of the two-wheeler accidents in the total road accidents have gone up to 46 per cent till September this year from 41 per cent in the corresponding period last year. 

Till September 2020, the State witnessed 31,098 accidents, resulting in 5,493 fatalities. Of which, the accidents caused by the two-wheelers were 14,423, accounting for 46 per cent of the total accidents. In the corresponding period last year, the State recorded 44,197 accidents and 8,250 fatalities. The share of accidents caused by two-wheelers up to September 2019 was 41 per cent (18,278 accidents). 

In terms of the share of fatalities by the two-wheelers, it has gone up to 37 per cent till September 2020 from 33 per cent till September last year. According to the data, 44 per cent of the death on two-wheelers occurred due to non-wearing of helmets. Of the total deaths by two-wheelers till September 2020, 895 accounted to non-wearing of helmets. Of the total 2,801 deaths by two-wheelers recorded till September 2019, 1,588 deaths due to non-wearing of helmets or 56 per cent of the total deaths. 

The highest death due to non-wearing of the helmet has happened at Kanchipuram (55) followed by Coimbatore (54) and Thanjavur (53) up to September 2020. 

A senior Transport Department official attributed the increase in the two-wheeler accidents and fatalities to the increase in the usage of the two-wheelers for the daily commute following the COVID-19 outbreak. “People are still afraid of contracting the coronavirus by travelling in public transport. Hence, they have taken to two-wheeler for their daily commute. Moreover, several people could be seen riding two-wheelers dangerously without wearing a helmet with masks,” the official noted.