Rising road accident fatalities in Odisha despite government efforts

Bhubaneswar: The state govt on Thursday said 16,287 people lost their lives in road accidents in the last three years, notwithstanding a series of measures to curb the death rate.
Transport Minister Bibhuti Bhusan Jena's written assembly response detailed that road accident deaths numbered 5,081 in 2021, 5,467 in 2022, and 5,739 in 2023. The annual increase in fatalities was recorded at 7.2% in 2021, 7.6% in 2022, and 4.8% in 2023.
Minister Jena said the govt has implemented numerous initiatives to reduce accidents and casualties. Police are strictly enforcing penalties against drunk driving and rash driving, which are primary causes of accidents. "Accident black spots have been identified and are being rectified. Under the Rakshak initiative, 13,000 people were trained in first aid for accident victims. Under the Junior Rakshak initiative, 11,000 NCC volunteers were trained in first aid," Minister Jena said.
The transport department said they have made a comprehensive approach, including enforcement, education, road engineering improvements, and emergency care, to make roads safer. The department said that a committee comprising retired civil engineers and police officers was established to investigate accident causes and propose solutions.
In June 2022, authorities organised a national road safety short film festival to enhance public awareness. They also conducted identification of accident-prone areas and audited road signage throughout the state. "Training programmes are being regularly conducted for police and regional transport officers on proper investigation into road accidents. We are actively working on measures to reduce accident deaths," a senior transport officer said.