Odisha Witnesses Decline In Road Accidents & Fatalities In Q2 2023

Bhubaneswar, Aug 25: In a promising development, Odisha has demonstrated a  reduction in both road accidents and associated fatalities during the second quarter of 2023 in comparison to the same period in 2022, said a press statement issued by the State Transport Authority.

It said that road accidents have declined by 7.56 per cent, and fatalities have exhibited a noteworthy drop of 6.24 per cent.

During the second quarter of the current year, the state encountered 2897 road accidents resulting in 1397 casualties. In contrast, the preceding year's second quarter documented 3134 accidents with 1490 reported deaths.

The number of people injured in road accidents during this year's second quarter was 2572, a decrease from the 2871 injuries recorded during the corresponding period in 2022.

"Our collaborative efforts with the Odisha Police have led to the designation of every Tuesday as a 'zero tolerance day' against violations of traffic regulations. The considerable reduction in both road accidents and fatalities can be attributed to the rigorous implementation of road safety protocols state-wide,” said Joint Commissioner of Transport and Road Safety P K Mohanty.

'Zero Fatality Week' was observed from April 1 to 7, focusing on intensifying awareness and enforcement measures to curtail road accident fatalities. This initiative resulted in an impressive 33.15 per cent decrease in accidents and a commendable 15 per cent reduction in fatalities compared to the same period in the previous year.

"Our objective is to sensitize the public about the collective responsibility we hold towards road safety. Together, we can truly make a positive impact”, Mohanty said.

Odisha has adopted a comprehensive four-fold strategy to enhance road safety, revolving around the 4Es - Enforcement, Education, Engineering improvements, and Emergency care. This multifaceted strategy is geared towards creating safer road conditions and minimizing the impact of accidents.