Srinagar, March 28: As many as 4251 persons have been killed and 37725 have been injured in 28896 road accidents in the last five years in Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory.
The Jammu region has witnessed the highest number of road accidents, reveals the data issued by the traffic headquarters in Jammu and Kashmir.
Data revealed in response to an RTI query by the traffic police headquarters in Jammu and Kashmir stated that in 2019, Jammu reported 3907 road accidents, resulting in 695 fatalities and 4987 injuries. In the Kashmir division, 1889 accidents were reported, leading to 301 deaths and 2545 injuries.
In the year 2020, the Jammu division reported 3086 road accidents, resulting in 487 fatalities and 3798 injuries, while the Kashmir division reported 1774 accidents, resulting in 241 deaths and 2096 injuries.
Jammu division witnessed 3584 road accidents, with 560 fatalities and 4640 injuries in the year 2021, while the Kashmir division saw 1868 accidents, resulting in 214 deaths and 2332 injuries.
Similarly, in the year 2022, there were 3886 accidents in the Jammu division, resulting in 562 fatalities and 5554 injuries, while the Kashmir division reported 2206 accidents, with 243 deaths and 2818 injuries.
Also, in the year 2023, the Jammu division reported 3943 road accidents, resulting in 598 fatalities and 5486 injuries, while the Kashmir division reported 2355 accidents, with 295 deaths and 2983 injuries.
As of January 31, 2024, the current year has witnessed 398 road accidents, 55 fatalities, and 486 injuries. Among these, the Jammu Division reported 284 road accidents, 38 fatalities, and 342 injuries, while the Kashmir Division reported 114 accidents, 17 fatalities, and 144 injuries.
An official from the traffic department informed Rising Kashmir that they are making every effort to reduce road accidents, with a primary focus on educating people to adhere strictly to traffic rules. The officer stated that two-wheelers are a significant contributor to road accidents, followed by driver negligence. The officer stressed the importance of individual responsibility in promoting traffic awareness.
Efforts are being made to identify accident hotspots and deploy personnel to mitigate risks. Additionally, investigations are being conducted to determine the root causes of accidents.
The increasing number of vehicles on the roads, coupled with infrastructure challenges such as potholes, contributes to the incidence of accidents. The officer stressed the need for collaboration among all concerned departments to prevent the loss of lives.