KOCHI: Beware ! Nearly 37% of the total length of highways in Kerala, both national and state, are unsafe for motorists and are considered ‘vulnerable road corridors’, says a KSCSTE-NATPAC study. The study used the crash data report of the Kerala State Crime Records Bureau between 2018 and 2021 in the state to arrive at the conclusion.
Out of the total 6,182km of national and state highways in the state, 2,234km fall under the category of vulnerable road corridors. The vulnerable road corridors, which range between 2km to 10km, were identified based on the number of black spots and the number of accidents that have occurred on a stretch.
“A total of 323 vulnerable road corridors on national and state highways in Kerala were identified from the list of crash black spots, and were prioritised based on the Blackspot Cluster Severity Index. Of this, 149 corridors are on national highways and 174 on state highways,” said a NATPAC official.
Thrissur (37) has been identified as the district with the highest number of vulnerable road corridors, with Ernakulam (33) at the second spot. Malappuram and Kozhikode with 32 each come close behind.
NATPAC has also identified 4,592 black spots in the state. More than 54% of them (2,495) are in the vulnerable road corridors. The study also found that more than 70% of accidents occurred at intersections.
Call for preparing road audit report
“A road audit report has to be prepared based on the findings. Sustainable solutions and a comprehensive approach to safety must be explored to reduce the number of victims of road accidents.
Stakeholders should take extra vigil on the identified stretch to reduce accidents,”said T Elangovan, executive director of Kerala Road Safety Authority (KRSA).
The total length of the vulnerable road corridors in Ernakulam district is 266km, comprising 121km on national highways and 14km on state highways.
A total of 564 people died at the blackspots within the vulnerable road corridors during 2018-20, which accounts for 45% of the road fatalities reported in the entire district, the study said.
Dangerous paths
Kerala has total 6,182km of national and state highways.
Of them, 2,234km (37%) categorised as vulnerable road corridors
Such corridors, which range between 2km to 10km, have been identified in a KSCSTE-NATPAC study based on the number of black spots and accidents that have occurred on a stretch
Thrissur (37) has highest number of vulnerable road corridors, Ernakulam (33) is second
