The recent statistics released by the Mumbai Police, the year 2021 recorded 2,192 accidents, in which 307 were fatal leading to 316 deaths, 1,363 accidents were serious, and others resulted in slight or no injury. The traffic police also took action on 21,81,628 motorists for various offences and have recovered ₹56.16 crores in the form of e-challan.
Addressing the conference, Commissioner of Police Hemant Nagrale said that there was a slight rise in the number of accidents recorded last year at 2,192 compared to 2020 with 1,872 accidents.
"Even as the total accidents recorded last year was more, the number of fatal accidents came down to 307 accidents leading to 316 deaths from the previous year's 337 fatal accidents leading to 349 deaths," added Nagrale.
The decline in the number of fatal accidents can be attributed to better enforcement, road infrastructure and timely help, wherein motorists were saved in the golden hour.
Over four per cent of the offences were recorded against motorists driving without a seatbelt, while those riding without a helmet constituted over 36 per cent of offenders.
The statistics revealed that the most traffic offences recorded in 2021 were for riding without a helmet at 8,06,472, followed by no entry, which constituted 30 per cent and signals jumping at 3,42,339 with 15 per cent of the total offences.
Other major offences included speeding make up five per cent of the total offences, while the rest were for driving without a valid license, triple seat on motorcycles, wrong side driving, vehicle sound without number plate and silencer modification, making a total of 21,81,628 offences.
Transport experts are of the opinion that not just policing but people should abide by the traffic rules, as signal jumping and speeding are the major causes of traffic deaths, mostly killing pedestrians.
"When people learn to drive safely and follow the rules, the fatality rate will eventually come down. Better the drivers, lesser the accident," said an expert.
