Mumbai has seen a significant decline in road fatalities in 2022 compared to the previous year. According to official data, the number of fatalities in road accidents declined by 30% in 2022, with a total of 268 fatalities compared to 376 in 2021.
This decrease in fatalities is a welcoming change for Mumbaikars, who have been grappling with increasing traffic congestion and road accidents in recent years.
Despite decline in fatalities, the data suggests that Mumbai's citizens continue to violate traffic rules, leading to dangerous situations on the city's roads.
The Mumbai Traffic Police have recovered ₹398.11 crores in fines in 2022 compared to ₹222.67 crores in 2021, indicating that the traffic police have been working hard to enforce traffic regulations and keep Mumbai's roads safe.
One of the major changes implemented by the Mumbai Traffic Police in recent times is the mandatory use of seat belts for all passengers in a car. The seat belt regulation was introduced after an accident on the Mumbai-Gujarat highway in September 2022, in an effort to increase road safety for Mumbai's citizens.
The regulation was implemented with the aim of reducing the number of fatalities in road accidents and providing a safer environment for drivers and passengers alike.
Moreover, many Mumbaikars seem to be resistant to the idea of wearing seat belts while driving. The Mumbai Traffic Police have issued 1,21,537 challans to passengers for not wearing seat belts while travelling in a car, and 2,22,174 challans to four-wheeler drivers for the same offence. These statistics indicate that the seat belt regulation has not been as effective as the Mumbai Traffic Police had hoped.
Helmet-less Riding Remains a Concern
The traffic police have also been issuing challans to motorists who ride without helmets, with a total of 12,12,364 being issued in 2022. However, it appears that many Mumbaikars continue to ignore the importance of wearing helmets while riding.
Obstructing free-flowing traffic is another offence that the Police have been working hard to tackle. This offence topped the charts of e-challans issued by the traffic police, with thousands of drivers being fined for obstructing the smooth flow of traffic. Offences like helmet-less riding are easier to catch, but offences like speeding and wrong-side driving are more serious and pose a greater threat to road safety.
The Mumbai Police have set a goal to create safer streets for the citizens. In order to achieve this goal, the traffic police need to increase the number of signages and find more efficient ways to recover pending challans. Traffic wardens and marshals should also go to the homes of offenders to remind them to pay pending challans, and make sure that the rules and regulations of the road are being followed.
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