TN came second in number of road accident deaths in 2017, but is that the full picture?

Numbers in Tamil Nadu are consistently high because of its solid reporting mechanism, which other states lack.
TN came second in number of road accident deaths in 2017, but is that the full picture?
TN came second in number of road accident deaths in 2017, but is that the full picture?

The state of Tamil Nadu has once again reported one of the highest number of deaths in road accidents in the country in 2017. Second only to Uttar Pradesh with 17,701 deaths in 15,941 incidents, Tamil Nadu has seen 16,661 deaths from 15,414 road accidents. Of this, 22.1% of the cases are cognisable offences, the highest in the country.

However, both the police and experts point out that the numbers in Tamil Nadu are consistently high because of the state's solid mechanism for reporting road accidents, which other states in the country lack.

According to the NCRB data, of the 16,660 deaths in Tamil Nadu, 1,461 were victims of hit and run cases while 15,199 were victims in other accidents. Other southern states recorded comparatively lower number of deaths. In the south, Karnataka had the second highest number of deaths at 12,523, followed by Andhra Pradesh at 8,708, Telangana at 8598 and Kerala at 3659.

In 2016, the total number of road accident casualties in Tamil Nadu was 17,130 according to ToI. Comparatively, the numbers have actually reduced in 2017. In 2015 too, the state came just behind Uttar Pradesh and recorded 15,642 fatalities due to road accidents.

In just January this year, 993 persons died in 5,173 road accidents. And over 70% reportedly happened on state and national highways. The condition of these roads and the lack of safety features have been blamed for the large number of accidents in the state.

Police sources however allege that the main cause for deaths is due to rampant violation of traffic rules by public. This includes over-speeding, disobeying traffic signals and refusal to wear helmets.

SaveLIFE Foundation, a non-profit,  organization committed to improving road safety and emergency medical care across India also defends the Tamil Nadu government.

Speaking to TNM, founder and CEO Piyush Tiwari says, "The reason why Tamil Nadu has highest road crashes recorded is because it is the only state that manages the data correctly. We have to appreciate that. There is nothing of this kind in any other state."

Tamil Nadu currently uses the Road Accidents Data Management System (RADMS) that ensures every case is recorded immediately and uploaded on a network.

According to MoRTH (Ministry of Road Transport and Highways), which has data from 2018 in its reports, Tamilnadu has brought down accidental death to 12,216 last year, a reduction of 24% from the 16,157 deaths the Ministry recorded in 2017.

"In between the transport and health department Tamil Nadu has made great progress in terms of reducing accidents. In fact data released by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways shows that Tamil Nadu has reduced its road accidents," says Piyush. "The NCRB data is outdated and it is a shame that the centre has taken two and a half years to bring it out."

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