This state records highest number of road traffic deaths in Northeast

NORTHEAST INDIA | Sept 09, 2020:

Injuries and fatalities due to road accidents have become a major concern in Northeast India but what are the main contributing factors? Inexperience, lack of skills or risk-taking behaviours? These factors are somewhat commonly associated with collisions among young drivers.

In Northeast India, Assam topped the list with the highest number of road accidents, a report released by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) revealed.

According to the NCRB report, Assam recorded 3,843 traffic accident deaths in 2019, the highest in the region followed by 271 deaths in Tripura and 176 in Meghalaya.

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The report stated that Assam recorded more than 41 per cent of deaths due to overspeeding, dangerous or careless driving or overtaking which led to an increase in the number of accidents.

These traffic accidents comprise 8,055 road accidents, 591 railway accidents and 5 railway crossing accidents, causing 3245, 593 and 5 deaths respectively during 2019.

About 1,362 people have died due to two-wheeler accidents. Out of the 3,245 fatalities in road accidents in the state, a total of 682 and 285 people died in car and bus-related accidents, the report said.

Out of the total 3,843, 1479 died in the national highways, 1049 in the other roads and 717 in the state highways.

The NCRB in its report said that 1780 people died due to overspeeding and 823, which is 25 per cent, died in road accidents caused by dangerous or careless driving or over-taking, among others.

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About 108 deaths were caused while driving under the influence of drug or alcohol. Weather condition triggered by poor visibility resulted in 246 deaths in the state.

A police official in the traffic department said that the accidents occur due to lack of knowledge regarding the safety rules while drunk-driving and speeding or reckless driving in the highways are also the factors leading to most of the road accident deaths.

"Majority of these were caused due to negligent and callous driving. People take driving casually and an attitude change is needed. They should have a sense of responsibility; just because one has a driving license doesn't mean he is a responsible driver," a police official said.

"There are some engineering problems on the roads in the state which cause accidents in the free roads. Overspeeding, pillion riders not wearing helmets and not following rules and regulations on the road are (the) main reasons for the surge in fatalities. It is important to maintain the distance between your vehicle and the vehicle in front of you so that if you need to apply the brakes immediately, you have the time and space to do so," he said.

Notably, Assam also topped the list among the NE states with the highest number of road accidents in 2018, which was published in 'An analytical glimpse on road accidents in Assam' by the state police.