Road accidents have returned to haunt motorists, with the State witnessing a disturbing rise in the past few months. Notably, April alone registered 851 accidents. The unfortunate part is that most of the accidents point to either reckless driving or negligence. On Thursday itself, a senior citizen was hit by a truck on the Pernem highway, leading to his death. On the same day, two other accidents occurred, one at Kasavali-Mollem and another at Bhati-Sanguem, resulting in nine people being injured.
If we recall, earlier this week, a speeding BMW lost control at the Dona Paula circle and rammed into multiple vehicles. A month back, another speeding premium car was involved in an accident near Manipal Hospital, claiming the life of a lady pillion rider while grievously injuring the man. Data from the Goa Traffic Police’s Accident Scenario report shows that 92.62 per cent of the accidents in April were due to rash and negligent driving.
Once again, weak deterrence is coming to the forefront. Take the case of the Dona Paula car accident. The young driver who was speeding was seen abusing policemen and those around with foul language. Video footage showed that the BMW lost control and hit two other cars in the vicinity. This paints a sorry picture where culprits are flexing their might because of societal standing and association with those in power. Such was the case in the accident involving a Mini Cooper car last month.
Another disturbing factor is that the majority of reckless driving cases have shown involvement of youngsters. The speeding violations have risen drastically from 12,914 in 2023 to almost double in 2025, with 23,648 cases. In January this year, there were 3,957 cases of speeding recorded.
While officials in the traffic department claim to have intensified patrolling through checkpoints, surprise drives and other measures, the enforcement appears to be falling short. Road discipline is lacking in young drivers, and traffic police are failing to contain that. For example, there are so many vehicles using illegal electromagnetic horns or glass filming, which are prohibited under the Motor Vehicles Act. Fancy number plates continue to be in fashion. Traffic drives have not been able to contain these visible violations.
The aggressive behaviour and heated confrontations seen of late reflect a growing culture of impunity among reckless drivers. A stretch of the highway at Guirim is used as a bike racing course by youth late in the night, which is like making a mockery of enforcement. The question is, who is responsible? Does this behaviour come with the status of a person? Or is it because our system is compromised? Or is it that traffic police are taken for granted? Imagine the audacity of the man with the BMW in the Dona Paula accident to go on social media, literally mocking the accident.
The broader picture is troubling because the situation is literally going out of control. Rash and negligent driving, speeding, dangerously overtaking, poor lane discipline, using cellphones while driving, drunken driving, minors getting vehicles on the road and the sharp rise in vehicle density have become common in Goa. Add to this arrogance and lawlessness.
The police leadership needs to reinvent traffic policing because the traditional ways are not helping. Police need to up their game through tougher enforcement and meaningful behavioural reform. The rising number of road accidents in Goa is more than a statistic; it is a warning. The Transport Minister was recently talking about getting the latest AI-based surveillance cameras to detect those inside cars with tinted glasses. We urgently need technology to track all road violators.
If the State has to reverse the worrying trend on roads, the government will need to bring in some major reforms. Ensuring safety on roads is a shared responsibility. We can’t have a free-for-all on roads and leave the common vulnerable and defenceless.
