Maximum road accidents in Delhi take place on Friday night: Report

The highest number of fatal road accidents in Delhi occur between 10 pm and midnight on Friday, according to a report by the Delhi government's transport department, as reported by the Times of India (TOI). The two-wheelers and pedestrians face the highest risk. The weekends are statistically the most dangerous for road travel. In the last three years, 1,597 people have lost lives on the weekend, between Friday and Sunday. 

 

The report added that the accidents rise during the night because pedestrians risk crossing roads and not taking overbridges due to less traffic. On weekdays too, the maximum accidents took place between 8 pm and 2 am.

 

Mirick Paala, senior technical advisor (road injury surveillance) of public health organisation Vital Strategies, told TOI, "There are many factors that explain why most fatalities occur on Fridays around midnight...one of the more prevalent issues is speeding. The current design of the majority of the roads in Delhi enables drivers to speed, especially when there is less traffic volume, such as at night. At the same time, the lack of safe pedestrian infrastructure such as traffic calming and safe crossings, put pedestrians especially at risk. On Friday nights, the road risk also sharply increases because it kick-starts the weekend and occurrence of drunken driving is possible."

 

Of all the roads, Outer Ring Road recorded the maximum number of accidents, 145, between 2019 and 2021. It was followed by 145 on GT Karnal Road and 123 on Rohtak Road. 

 

The report added that the maximum road casualties were caused by heavy vehicles, followed by light motor vehicles and buses. As per the statistics, heavy vehicles mowed down 327 motorists and 234 pedestrians, while light motor vehicles killed 169 motorists and 218 pedestrians.

 

"The speeding of trucks and buses should be closely monitored because they are the ones most often observed to be speeding," Paala added.