New Delhi, Oct 30 (FN Agency) The annual crash report of Delhi police has identified pedestrians and two-wheeler riders as the most vulnerable to road fatalities last year, constituting 43 percent and 38 percent of total deaths, respectively. The report released on Wednesday by Delhi Police Commissioner Sanjay Arora, highlighted an analysis of accidents that occurred during the year along with their causes, patterns, and suggestions for road design, regulation, and prosecution. “The efforts of the Delhi Traffic Police have led to a total reduction in road crash deaths in Delhi by 20 percent over the last decade. Continuing our endeavor to save lives, we are now increasing our focus on more pedestrian-centric traffic management,” Delhi Special Commissioner of Police, Traffic, IPS Ajay Chaudhry said.
“The report has identified pedestrians as the most vulnerable road users, followed by two-wheelers, which account for 43 percent and 38 percent of total fatalities in road crashes in 2023,” an official statement said. “Road crashes not only affect the livelihoods of those involved but also leave a lasting impact on the victims’ families. They often push people to the brink of poverty and impose a heavy cost on the economy,” it added. The focus areas of Delhi Traffic Police have been to enhance the use of technology for smoother traffic management and surveillance, as well as to improve road infrastructure, particularly in design and standards for vulnerable road users. As pedestrians, cyclists, and motorcyclists are the most vulnerable road users, the focus will continue on road safety measures for these groups, including prosecutions and awareness about helmet usage, zebra crossings, subways, and encroachment-free, safe pedestrian walkways or footpaths.
Delhi Traffic Police has recommended design interventions at crash-prone locations to reduce fatalities. In 2023, the Delhi Traffic Police identified 10 black spots: ISBT Kashmere Gate, Mukarba Chowk, Libaspur bus stand, Kashmere Gate Chowk, Burari Chowk, Britannia Chowk, Bhalswa Chowk, Wazirpur Depot, R/A Mori Gate, and Gandhi Vihar bus stand. Additionally, ten other roads in Delhi recorded ten or more deaths in 2023. These roads include NH-8, Road No. 56, Kanjhawala Road, NH-24, 201 No. Road, Patel Road, Pankha Road, Vikas Marg, and Narela Road. The number of deaths in road crashes decreased from 1,264 in 2022 to 1,257 in 2023, despite an increase in the number of vehicles registered on the road. This decline can be attributed to an increase in prosecutions, from 438,052 in 2022 to 639,097 in 2023, along with other corrective measures taken by the traffic unit.