PANAJI
The start of Goa’s tourism season has brought nearly 100 road accidents in the first half of October, leaving around seven people dead. The toll, nevertheless, is lower than September’s 22 deaths in 18 fatal crashes.
However, the early-October figures offer little comfort against a larger deterioration in road safety wherein accidents and injury cases have risen sharply in the first nine months of 2026.
September’s road accident figures show one of the worsening patterns, with more crashes, a higher death toll and a sharp increase in injuries when compared with the same month last year. Goa recorded 216 accidents in September 2026, against 197 in September 2025, a rise of 9.64 percent. Fatal accidents increased from 17 to 18, but the number of people killed rose more sharply, from 18 to 22 -- an increase of 22.22 percent.
The cumulative figures up to September 30, 2026 paint a more concerning picture as the State recorded 1,965 accidents against 1,726 during the corresponding period last year -- an increase of 239, or 13.85 percent. Fatal accidents rose marginally from 190 to 192, while the death toll increased from 196 to 201.
The sharpest increases were grievous injury accidents, which climbed from 157 to 195, up 24.2 percent, while accidents resulting in minor injuries rose from 300 to 427, an increase of 42.33 percent. The number of people grievously injured increased from 202 to 250, while those sustaining minor injuries surged from 512 to 718.
During this period, rider fatalities increased from 117 in January-September 2025 to 119 during the same period this year, while pillion-rider deaths rose from 21 to 23. Driver deaths more than doubled, from six to 13, and passenger fatalities tripled from four to 12. Two cyclists were killed this year, compared with none in the corresponding period last year.
Pedestrian deaths, however, declined from 45 in January-September 2025 to 30 during the corresponding period this year, a reduction of 33.33 percent. Deaths classified under other categories fell from three to two.
A comparison of September alone shows a particularly sharp rise in minor-injury accidents. Such cases increased from 31 in September 2025 to 52 in September 2026, a jump of 67.74 percent. The number of people sustaining minor injuries rose from 45 to 87, an increase of 93.33 percent. Grievous injury accidents, by contrast, declined slightly from 19 to 18.
The worsening accident figures have coincided with a decline in traffic enforcement, as measured by motor vehicle cases booked. Traffic police registered 1,30,170 offenses up to September this year, against 1,66,818 during the corresponding period in 2025, a fall of 21.97 percent. Fine collections dropped by 50.63 percent, from Rs 119.67 crore to Rs 59.07 crore.
In September alone, 9,755 motor vehicle cases were booked, compared with 14,486 in September 2025. Fines collected during the month fell from Rs 1.29 crore to Rs 46.17 lakh.
