KOCHI: Keralam is witnessing a steady rise in road accidents even as fatalities have declined over the past three years, with experts pointing to gaps in road design, traffic enforcement, infrastructure and driving behaviour.
The state recorded 48,068 accidents and 4,084 deaths in 2023. The number of accidents increased to 48,834 in 2024, while fatalities fell to 3,880. In 2025, accidents rose further to 49,889, even as deaths declined to 3,733.
In the first six months of 2026, Keralam has recorded 27,300 accidents and 2,049 deaths. The figures come against the backdrop of a series of fatal crashes across districts, including incidents involving heavy vehicles, two-wheelers, and vulnerable road users.
Former Supreme Court judge and former chairman of the National Road Safety Commission K S Radhakrishnan said road alignment and engineering are among the factors that need greater attention.
“Road alignment is also a cause of accidents, not only the negligence of the driver,” he said, pointing to road construction, design, alignment, curves, signals, safety barriers, drainage, pedestrian pathways and footpaths as factors that can influence road safety.
He said accident risks also vary between city roads and highways. During the monsoon, vehicles may skid because of the road surface, quality of tarring, or tyre condition. Driver fatigue and falling asleep while driving, particularly at night, are other factors that need to be examined.
According to Radhakrishnan, Keralam also needs to address the increasing presence of commercial and other buildings along highways. Such development can increase overcrowding and traffic conflicts. Crowd-attracting institutions should be planned carefully to prevent additional pressure on highways, he said.
He also stressed the need for dedicated infrastructure for cyclists and pedestrians, particularly in villages where different categories of road users often share the same congested road space.
Former transport commissioner and former KSRTC CMD Tomin J Thachankary said the MVD and traffic police are the two main enforcement agencies, but enforcement faces several challenges. The number of vehicles entering the state’s roads is increasing by the day without a corresponding increase in road width, he said. The resulting pressure on the road network is one factor contributing to accidents.
Tomin also said enforcement officers are increasingly cautious because of public backlash and the possibility of enforcement incidents being recorded, edited, and circulated on social media. This, he said, could lead to a “self-protected enforcement” approach among officers.
He called for road-safety enforcement to receive greater political prioritisation, similar to the attention given to initiatives such as Operation Toofan. “There should be political prioritisation for accident deaths too,” Tomin said, stressing that road deaths should not become something society simply learns to accept.
He also pointed to difference in driving behaviour among Malayalis in Keralam and abroad, saying people who follow traffic rules in Gulf countries and Europe often behave differently on ‘home’ roads. Stronger political prioritisation and enforcement, he said, could help change this culture.
Transport Commissioner Nagaraju Chakilam said every accident is different and could involve the “man, the machine, or the environment”, including road engineering.
He identified speeding and distracted driving as two major causes under human error, while stressing that the responsibility ultimately lies with every road user. “Every driving licence holder has to perceive hazards and anticipate others’ actions or inaction while on the road,” he said.
Marked by accidents
Aug 24: Perumbavoor, Ernakulam- 6-year-old Joshua Basil was run over by a tipper lorry while crossing the road with his father near Nedungapra.
Aug 24: Pilathara/Mandoor, Kannur- A mixer/tanker lorry crashed into a timber truck that was being repaired. The collision triggered a fire, killing two mechanics, Ebinesar Anto, 24, and Muhammad Shebin, 22.
Aug 25: Thrissur-Kuttanellur Road- Sherin P John, 47, was killed when long iron rods being carried on a pickup van fell onto his motorcycle. The MVD found the load improperly secured and illegal. The accident occurred on August 21, but the case became a major road-safety story on August 25.
Aug 26: Payyannur, Kannur- Shahid, 21, a college student, was run over by a speeding car after he and his friend got down at the wrong railway station and were walking along the road. The car reportedly fled.
Aug 26: Aban Junction, Pathanamthitta- A speeding car lost control, hit pedestrians and other vehicles. Retired Fire & Rescue Services official Abu Baker, 74, died; several others were injured. Police later arrested two people and invoked drunken-driving provisions.
Aug 26: Chelakkode, Thrissur-
A Milma milk tanker/truck crashed into a tea shop, killing Joseph, 53, and Shameer, 43. Police later said the driver may have fallen asleep after repeated Onam trips.
Aug 27: Mundur/Kanjikkulam, Palakkad- Two lorries collided on the Palakkad-Kozhikode NH. The vehicles caught fire and lorry driver Nasser, 29, was burnt to death.
Aug 29: Alappuzha- A 66-year-old man, Mahesh Manuel of Kanjiramchira, was found dead after allegedly falling into an under-construction drain in Alappuzha town. Locals alleged that the site lacked warning boards and safety measures. Police have begun an investigation into the incident and circumstances surrounding the death.
Aug 30: Kovalam, Thiruvananthapuram- Muhammad Ajas, 19, died after his motorcycle crashed into the rear of a stationary KSRTC bus near Thuppanathukavu.