PANAJI
Goa continues to report an alarming number of road accidents. The first seven months of 2026 has recorded 1,523 crashes against 1,363 during the corresponding period last year, an increase of 160 cases (11.74 per cent) although the number of fatalities fell marginally by four.
The July month itself recorded 199 accidents and 15 fatalities.
The Traffic police records, exclusively available with The Goan, show that 157 people were killed in road accidents up to July this year, compared with 161 in the corresponding period of 2025.
However, the analysis points to dangerous driving as the central factor behind the continuing high accident rate, with 96.98 per cent of the crashes attributed to rash and negligent driving.
Old Goa has reported the highest number of accidents at 130, followed by Ponda with 129, Verna 119, Panaji 105 and Anjuna 85.
Ponda, however, recorded the highest number of fatalities at 13, followed by Agassaim with 12, Verna with 11, Old Goa with 10 and Anjuna, Cuncolim and Canacona with nine each.
The increase in accidents was particularly recorded at several police station jurisdictions. Saligao recorded the highest percentage increase at 300 per cent, followed by Canacona at 266.67 per cent, Colvale at 200 per cent, Mardol at 133.33 per cent and Cuncolim at 120 per cent.
The analysis revealed that national highways accounted for 39.19 per cent of all accidents, while 82.91 per cent of the crashes occurred on straight stretches of road. Curved roads accounted for another 12.06 per cent.
Two-wheelers and cars figured prominently in the accident data. The police analysis puts two-wheeler accidents at 42.10 per cent and car accidents at 41.79 per cent.
Motorcyclists, meanwhile, accounted for 112 of the 157 people killed – 71.33 per cent of all road fatalities during the period.
Old Goa had the highest number of two-wheeler accidents at 93, followed by Ponda with 92, Verna with 70, Margao-Curtorim with 67 and Panaji with 66.
In the case of cars, Panaji recorded the highest number at 114, followed by Old Goa with 94, Verna with 88, Margao with 76 and Anjuna with 74.
As regards to the timing of crashes, the highest number of accidents occurred between 1 pm and 2 pm, while Fridays accounted for the largest share of accidents at 12.06 per cent, followed by Saturdays at 11.55 per cent. Of the 1,523 accidents, 939 occurred during the day and 590 at night.
