While 2016 recorded 713 accidents, 2017 had 660 accidents in various parts of the district. The death toll was 82 in 2016, in 2017 it came down to 68.In Wayand, the District Crime Record Bureau’s new statistics show a sharp decline in the number of vehicle accidents in 2017. While 2016 recorded 713 accidents, 2017 had 660 accidents in various parts of the district. The death toll was 82 in 2016, in 2017 it came down to 68.
Black spots of mayhem
The police have identified 66 accident black spots in the district, where accidents have historically been concentrated. National Highway 766 (connects Kozhikode in Kerala with Kollegal in Karnataka via Mysore) Muttil Varyad, from Pathirippalam to Dottappankulam are marked as highly vulnerable stretch prone to frequent accidents.
Interceptor unit and Motor Vehicle Department
Compared to 2016, the year 2017 recorded lesser number of accidents. The credit for the dip in the number goes to timely intervention by Motor Vehicle Department, the police department and the Interceptor Unit.
The Motor Vehicle Department came down heavily on rule-breakers. Apart from intensifying vehicle inspections, the Motor Vehicle Department also organized massive awareness campaigns in the district. The Department spearheaded more than 5000 awareness classes in the past one year on safe driving. The Interceptor Unit was keen on reining in the overspeeding vehicles. As many as 7,718 vehicles were booked for overspeeding in 2017.
The department collected 31.52 lakh rupees in fine for overspeeding, mostly from car owners. 5319 cars and 1474 two-wheelers were booked for overspeeding.
Police collect crores in fine
In the last two years the police have collected a massive fine of 1.28 crores from the unruly drivers for not carrying license and violating seat belt and helmet rules.
The police do not have the statistics for the fine collected in drunk driving cases as they are send directly to the court. Police registered 3327 cases of drunk driving in 2016 while in 2017 it was 2275.
2016 accident statistics
Total accidents-713
Number of deaths- 82
Critically Injured-484
KSRTC buses which got into accidents-48
Private buses-64
Lorries- 30
Cars- 225
Auto rickshaws-113
500 of these accidents happened in the morning while 213 of them occurred in the night.
In 2016, 462 two-wheelers got into accidents. Overspeeding and reckless driving by mostly young riders is responsible for the higher rate of two-wheeler accidents. Most of the bikers involved in the mishaps were aged between 19 and 25. Lack of helmets also contributed to the higher number of fatalities. Driving under the influence is also more rampant among the two-wheeler riders.
Statistics for 2017
Total accidents- 660
Number of deaths-68
Injured- 758
Critically injured-468
So far in 2018
So far in 2018, there have been 19 vehicle accidents in the district which took three lives and injured 15.
In the last one decade, 667 people died and 8790 people were injured in 6648 road accidents in Wayanad.
