Watch Your Step! Karnataka Recorded Highest Number Of Pedestrian Deaths In India In 2020

Karnataka's streets are the most fatal for pedestrians in India. The state has recorded the highest number of pedestrian deaths in road accidents in India in 2020. According to National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) report, 13 per cent of pedestrian deaths in India (1,536 out of 11,901) were reported from Karnataka last year.

At least four pedestrians were killed in the state every day last year, despite a reduction in vehicular traffic due to COVID-induced lockdown. Karnataka was followed by Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat, reported The Times of India.

While Andhra Pradesh recorded 1,272 fatalities, Maharashtra recorded 1,176 fatalities, Tamil Nadu recorded 1,164 fatalities, Madhya Pradesh recorded 1,073 fatalities, and Gujarat recorded 824 fatalities. In contrast, states like Uttar Pradesh, Sikkim, Mizoram, Nagaland as well as Union Territories like Ladakh, Lakshadweep and Puducherry recorded zero pedestrian fatalities last year.

Highest Fatality Among Cities

Among cities, Chennai reported the highest fatalities at 181 followed by Bengaluru at 163. In 2019, Bengaluru ha topped the list with 272 fatalities. This is followed by Ahmedabad at 151, Visakhapatnam at 82, Jaipur at 78, Vijayawada at 72, Faridabad at 68, Surat at 63, Delhi at 57, and Indore at 56. In Karnataka, as per the report, 65 walkers were killed at pedestrian crossings in urban areas, including 20 in Bengaluru.

Indian Roads Congress (IRC) guidelines say footpaths should have a width of 1.8m in residential areas and 2.5m in commercial areas. While ..most places in Karnataka have no footpaths, the existing ones are encroached upon by parked vehicles and hawkers.

The Accidental Deaths and Suicides in India report of 2019 shows that 7.7 per cent of deaths in road accidents in India were of pedestrians.

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