Mumbai tops list of accident-prone cities

According to the National Crime Record Bureau’s 2008 report, Mumbai tops in the list of accidents in India. It accounts for one out of every five fatal accidents in the country. This latest compiled data with the home ministry shows that Mumbai accounts for 18.5% of total accidents in the country. Kolkata, with a record of 1.8%, comes at the bottom of the list. Maharashtra, with 17.2% of accidents, occupies the second position in case of national tragedies. It is also the only state that has been accounted with pedestrians’ deaths. Most often the deaths were caused because of flouting of traffic rules like not fastening seat belts, not wearing helmets or speaking on mobiles while driving.

In Maharashtra, 76,601 accidents took place on roads leading to 11,804 deaths. It was followed by 75,527 accidents and 12,397 deaths in 2008 and 71,594 accidents and 11,396 deaths in 2009. NCRB says that fatal accidents are rising at an average of 6% a year. Owing to this grim situation, Maharashtra government has agreed for an amendment in the Motor Vehicles Act (MVA) of 1988 to triple the fine for traffic offenders.