PANAJI
The last fortnight of December 2023 -- that recorded vehicular congestion across Goa, particularly along the coastal belt in view of the surge in visitors -- recorded 133 accidents including eight fatalities.
Despite the last calendar year’s overall accident rate, these 15 days from December 16 to 31, 2023 brought relief, showing a 17 per cent decline in total accidents and a 46.67 percent reduction in fatalities compared to the same period in 2022 during which 160 accidents and 15 fatalities were registered.
In fact, the data shared by the Traffic Department further indicates that the entire month of December 2023 was slightly better than December 2022 when 284 accidents, including 21 fatal resulting in 22 deaths and 95 minor accidents were registered. In contrast, December 2023 witnessed 264 accidents, with 17 being fatal and 19 killed. A total of 78 minor accidents were also recorded last month. The total grievous injuries were however on the higher side.
As many as 1,200 policemen were posted along the coastal belt during the peak season to maintain law and order, and another 800-odd traffic staff to manage a huge flow of vehicular traffic given that lakhs of tourists arrived to celebrate Christmas and New Year.
Even though the data shows a decline, the debate around Goa’s roads turning into a death trap continues given the condition of the roads at most places. While Smart City works allegedly killed two persons “ one worker at St Inez and a youth in Mala, the analysis also shows that rash and negligent driving, driving under the influence of alcohol and helmetless riding are major causes of road accidents in the State.
In a separate report shared by the Department of Information & Publicity, November 2023 saw 200 road accidents out of which 18 were fatal (North Goa “ 08 and South Goa “10), 14 grievous (NG “ 09 and SG “05), 36 minor accidents (NG “ 13 and SG “ 23) and 132 non - injury accidents (NG “ 72 and SG “ 60).
The total number of persons who lost their lives in road accidents was 18 of whom a maximum of 10 were in South Goa and eight in North Goa.
Among these, 14 were riders, and one each being a pillion rider, driver, cyclist, and others. The Transport Department claimed it issued 8310 challans for this month.
