Karnataka sees sharp rise in road accidents; Bengaluru among top five cities

A data from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) stated that about 29% of accident victims in Karnataka in 2023 lost their lives.

Karnataka is also among the top three States and Union Territories that recorded the highest percentage increase in road and traffic accidents in 2023. The State ranked third with a 9.2% rise, behind Puducherry (10.7%) and Nagaland (9.2%). However, the surge in Karnataka is particularly alarming, as Puducherry and Nagaland reported fewer than 100 and 1,500 cases respectively, while Karnataka recorded 43,439 accidents in 2023, compared to 39,765 in 2022.

Among 53 cities across India, Bengaluru ranked in the top five with a 30.3% increase in accidents. It was preceded by Ranchi (50.3%), Varanasi (46.3%), and Pune (35%).

Karnataka and Bengaluru also featured in the top five for traffic accident fatalities. The State reported 12,322 deaths in 2023, of which 915 occurred in Bengaluru. This means that about 18.37% of accident victims in the city lost their lives.

A senior police officer, who had earlier served in the traffic department, highlighted the disproportionately high number of accident deaths in rural areas. He explained, “There is little or no enforcement of traffic rules in rural areas. If you scrutinise the data, the number of deaths in rural areas compared to the number of vehicles is the highest, which clearly points to a lack of enforcement and the urgent need for it.”

He also stressed that tourist inflows must be considered when analysing accident data, as Karnataka has witnessed a significant rise in tourism after the pandemic years.

Another officer, currently serving in Bengaluru city, said that several measures have been introduced to curb accidents. However, in a city with more than 1.2 crore vehicles and a large floating population, bringing the numbers down drastically is nearly impossible.

“Bengaluru Traffic Police have been vigilant and are among the best at enforcing traffic laws. But with a large number of new drivers entering the roads every day, the likelihood of accidents remains high,” he noted.

The officer further pointed out that accidents are not solely a result of poor enforcement but also stem from inadequate infrastructure.

“In the past, there was very little coordination between the traffic police and civic bodies. This lack of coordination has contributed to worsening numbers, and even today, such a gap still exists in the city,” he added.