THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Road accidents claimed 2,977 lives in the state last year, with the highest number of cases being reported from rural areas. As per the National Crime Reports Bureau’s report on road fatalities, close to 28,000 accidents were reported in the state during 2020, rendering a little more than 30,000 people injured.
The rural areas witnessed more deaths — 1,955— compared to 1,022 in urban areas. The most number of deaths occurred in tertiary roads as they accounted for 1,389 casualties, while national highways and state highways accounted for 864 and 724 deaths, respectively.
Most of the victims travelled on two-wheelers (1,192), while pedestrians came second (555). The most dangerous time to be on the road happened to be between 6pm and 9pm, as 5,690 accidents were reported during this period.
The report also revealed that those aged 45-60 years were more prone to accidents as 4,432 people in this age group met with accidents, followed by senior citizens (3,813). The most common causes of accidents were speeding (1,573), overtaking and dangerous driving (948) and mechanical defects (50). January witnessed the highest number of accidents (3,991), as adverse weather and poor visibility were held responsible for 37 and 28 deaths, respectively.
