What’s more, fatalities at police-managed intersections increased by 17% over the previous year even as 21% more accidents took place at such stretches in 2022.At 2,421, deaths at road crossings regulated by cops were higher than those at traffic light signals (2,238).
The data published in the ‘Road Accidents in India’ report released on Tuesday shows that barring junctions where flashing signals or blinkers were installed, the number of crashes and fatalities increased at all types of junctions where there was some kind of traffic control system. In the case of junctions with flashing signals, the number of crashes, fatalities and injuries fell. Flashing signals, seen as a cost-effective intervention, are installed at junctions to caution drivers to be careful while crossing.
As per the report, 7,733 people were injured in crashes at police-controlled junctions in 2022. Experts said while physical deployment of police personnel should have tamed drivers from breaking rules, ironically the violations go up every time the policemen is blindsided or temporarily absent.
The government data highlights how “uncontrolled crossings” — without any traffic signal or policemen — remained the biggest problem as the number of fatalities remained high at 24,857 during 2022 and the total number of injured in crashes at such crossings was 68,833.
The report also shows how drivers are often more careless at T-junctions compared to Y- and four-arm junctions. In 2022, the number of fatalities in crashes at T-junctions was 12,101, more than double of the deaths at both Y- and Four-arm junctions. Similar was in the cases of people left injured in crashes.
“Usually, people become more cautious at four-arm junctions as there is traffic flow from all sides. But we have found that drivers are careless while approaching the T-junctions and particularly where small roads or lanes meet with major ones. If a driver is not cautious while taking a right or left turn, there is a high risk of meeting with an accident with straight going traffic. This also shows how our drivers hardly have any sense of right of way,” said a former top Delhi traffic police officer.