UT accounts for over 1.3 % of India’s road accidents, fatalities under 1 PC
WAJAHAT SHABIR
SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir recorded 6,298 road accidents and 893 fatalities in 2023, according to official data tabled in Rajya Sabha by the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, highlighting the growing threat posed by unsafe roads in the Union Territory.
The data, shared in reply to an unstarred question in the Upper House, shows that while J&K contributed around 1.31 per cent to the total number of road accidents reported across the country, its share in fatalities stood at 0.52 per cent, indicating that injuries and damage to life and property continue to remain a major concern on the region’s roads.
At the national level, a total of 4,80,583 road accidents were recorded in 2023, resulting in the deaths of 1,72,890 people, the Ministry informed Parliament. Jammu & Kashmir’s figures place it among the higher accident-reporting Union Territories, underlining the need for stronger enforcement and infrastructure improvement in the mountainous region.
Official data shows that over-speeding, drunk driving, mobile phone usage while driving, wrong-side driving, jumping of traffic signals, and failure to wear helmets and seat belts were among the leading causes of road crashes across the country, with road condition, weather, and vehicle defects also contributing significantly to accidents in difficult terrains such as those found in Jammu and Kashmir.
The Ministry stated that a multi-pronged road safety strategy is being implemented across States and Union Territories, including Jammu and Kashmir, based on the four pillars of Education, Engineering, Enforcement, and Emergency Care. Road Safety Audits on National Highways, identification of accident-prone black spots, and deployment of electronic surveillance systems are part of the engineering and enforcement measures currently in place.
To improve trauma response, the Centre has enhanced the compensation for hit-and-run victims and introduced a cashless treatment scheme for accident victims from 2025, besides expanding the Rah-Veer Scheme that rewards Good Samaritans for helping the injured reach hospitals.
Authorities have also stated that special emphasis is being placed on the use of technology, stricter penalties under the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act, and improvement of driver training infrastructure to curb the rising number of crashes in vulnerable regions such as Jammu & Kashmir.
The data was furnished by the government in response to a question raised by Member of Parliament A.D. Singh and forms part of the official record of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways for the calendar year 2023
