PANAJI
Despite a slight dip in the number of road accidents this year, Goa’s roads remain no less deadly, with nearly 1,942 crashes recorded between January and November 3, many of them attributed to overspeeding, drunken driving, and rash or negligent driving.
Official data from the Goa Traffic Police reveals that between January and October 2025, the State recorded 205 fatal accidents resulting in 212 deaths, marginally lower than the 229 fatal crashes and 241 deaths recorded in the same period last year.
The number of grievous accidents, however, has risen, from 151 last year to 189 this year, indicating that while collisions may be fewer, their severity remains a serious concern. In the first three days of this month itself, Goa saw around 17 accidents and two deaths.
Traffic officials say they continue to grapple with three persistent factors behind road crashes – overspeeding, driving under the influence of alcohol and rash and negligent driving.
“Much of the drunken driving is reported along the coastal belt and on highways at night. However, fatigue among late-night drivers is also emerging as a concern,” the official said.
The horrific crash at Bambolim on Tuesday brought the issue back into sharp focus. Two prominent Sepak Takraw players, Yogender Singh and Ankit Kumar Baliyan, were killed when a speeding tanker jumped the road divider, crossed lanes and rammed into the rental car along the NH66. Police have ruled out alcohol as a factor but have booked the tanker driver, Rahul Sarwade (37) of Maharashtra, for culpable homicide not amounting to murder, attributing the crash to rash and negligent driving.
To curb repeat offences, the department has intensified enforcement drives, including targeted checks on weekends. From January to October 2025, authorities issued 14,506 challans for overspeeding, 3,361 for drunken driving, and 83 for rash and negligent driving.
“The short enforcement drives are being carried out in phases, though the challenge is sustained compliance on high-speed corridors, particularly at night,” the official added. A total of 2,196 accidents were reported from January-October 2024 which dropped to 1,925 in this corresponding period.
Two-wheelers remain vulnerable; many crashes are self-accidents
PANAJI: Two-wheelers continue to account for a significant share of Goa’s road casualties, and officials say a large number of these accidents are preventable.
Although a drop, the first 10 months of this year saw a total of 123 two-wheeler accidents and 25 deaths, compared with 138 accidents and 36 deaths last year.
Police say over half of these are single-vehicle, self-accidents, and largely preventable.
“At least 50 per cent of two-wheeler accidents are self-accidents involving a single vehicle. These could be avoided. Rash driving, wrong overtaking and dangerous turning are leading to these crashes,” a traffic officer said.
While helmet-less riding was earlier among the major contributors to fatal injuries, officials reveal helmet compliance has improved this year due to sustained checks and penalties.
