In all, 474 persons lost their lives, 3,237 suffered grievous injuries and 1,295 sustained minor injuries in 4,200 road accidents in the capital district in the first 11 months of 2012.
Road accident statistics from January up to November 2012 showed that Thiruvananthapuram district with 474 deaths topped the list of fatalities among the 14 districts. Ernakulam district with 466 deaths in 5,223 road accidents was second followed by Thrissur with 380 deaths in 3,507 road accidents.
Of the road accidents reported in Thiruvananthapuram, 986 occurred on the National Highway stretch, 283 on the State Highways and 2,931 on other roads. As many as 3,109 road accidents occurred during daytime and 1,091 at night.
Rash driving was found to be the main cause of accidents that had been reported in the capital district. Rash driving had resulted in 3,883 accidents, drunk driving, 67 accidents, while 250 had been grouped in other categories.
Two-wheelers accounted for 1,936 accidents; cars, 889; jeeps, 92; autorickshaws, 609; and other vehicles, 186. In the case of 19 road accidents, the identity of the vehicles involved is yet to be ascertained.
Analysis of the accident statistics revealed that Kerala State Road Transport Corporation buses were involved in 261 accidents; private buses, 129; lorries, 207; and minibuses, 94.
Pedestrians killed
Fifty pedestrians were killed in accidents during the period.
Road safety experts have cited lack of footpaths as per IRC specifications, encroachment by vendors and vehicles, lack of foot overbridges and subways, improper pedestrian signals, and lack of sufficient width of footpath as reasons for pedestrian-related accidents.
