In a startling revelation, the Road Safety Foundation has reported that over 100 families have been completely eradicated due to road accidents over the past five years.
The findings were published on Tuesday (3 December), in a report based on data from national newspapers, online news portals, electronic media, and independent sources.
The report, analysing accidents between 2020 and November 2024, highlights a troubling trend of families travelling together—whether on motorcycles, auto-rickshaws, private cars, microbuses, or ambulances—succumbing to fatal mishaps.
According to the Foundation, media reports suggest that over 100 families have faced total devastation due to road accidents in this period.
Between 2020 and 2024, 123 accidents involving motorcycles resulted in the deaths of husbands and wives, claiming 246 lives. Additionally, 84 accidents involving fathers and sons caused 168 fatalities.
Auto-rickshaw incidents claimed 1,179 lives from 352 families. The fatalities included:
Microbuses accounted for the deaths of 280 people from 75 families.
Sedan car accidents led to the deaths of 249 people from 76 families.
Meanwhile, ambulance incidents took 70 lives from 18 families.
The report identifies several factors contributing to these tragedies:
- Increased family outings due to expanded road infrastructure.
- Unregulated auto-rickshaw usage on highways.
- Lack of fitness certifications for many microbuses and ambulances.
- Incompetence and overexertion among microbus and ambulance drivers.
- Reckless driving and widespread disregard for traffic laws.
The findings call for immediate action to enhance road safety, regulate vehicular fitness, and ensure compliance with traffic laws to prevent further tragedies of this magnitude.
