Mumbai's focus on developing roads in the past decade has come at the cost of pedestrian safety. According to the state economic survey report, Mumbai had 272 fatal accidents in 2022 alone.
The data provided by the Mumbai traffic police, in response to an RTI filed, from 2013 to 2021 reveals that 4,514 people lost their lives in traffic accidents, and more than half of them were pedestrians.
Pedestrians were the most vulnerable road users in Mumbai, with 2,326 deaths (51%) recorded in the review period. The other fatalities were bikers (25%) and pillion passengers (11%). There were also 86,276 reported traffic accidents in Mumbai during this time, with 4,391 resulting in fatalities. About 16,835 people were seriously injured, while 10,140 were slightly hurt.
Several factors contribute to the high number of accidents and fatalities in Mumbai. Lack of footpaths and encroachments by power companies put pedestrians at risk. Other contributing factors include rash driving, running red lights, and using a cell phone while driving. Unfortunately, these infractions are rarely penalised in India, leading to more accidents.
In addition to these factors, parking or driving on the wrong side of the road is another infraction not penalised by traffic police. Fencing along footpaths can help avoid accidents. However, pedestrians are sometimes to blame for crossing the street carelessly or using a cell phone while walking. More vigilance from drivers and authorities can reduce the number of fatal traffic accidents.
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