Srinagar: Road accidents in Jammu and Kashmir surged in the first half of 2024, with 2,864 incidents resulting in 417 fatalities and 3,894 injuries, according to data from the Jammu and Kashmir Traffic Police.
The Jammu district recorded the highest number of accidents and fatalities, with 537 accidents causing 75 deaths and 750 injuries, followed by Udhampur closely with 228 accidents, resulting in 47 deaths and 314 injuries. In contrast, Shopian reported the fewest accidents, totalling 30, which led to two fatalities and 52 injuries.
June saw the peak of road mishaps with 546 accidents, leading to 71 deaths and 805 injuries. January recorded the lowest number of accidents, with 398 incidents resulting in 55 deaths and 486 injuries.
Meanwhile, authorities identified several high-risk zones, with Jammu district being the most accident-prone. Udhampur and Kathua are also critical zones with a high frequency of accidents. In 2023, Jammu and Kashmir experienced 6,298 accidents, including 730 fatal ones, which resulted in 893 deaths and 8,469 injuries. Jammu reported the highest number of accidents and fatalities last year, while Shopian recorded the least.
Officials attribute the rise in accidents to increased traffic, poor road conditions and reckless driving. In response, the Jammu & Kashmir Traffic Police intensified enforcement measures and launched awareness campaigns.
"We are taking all possible steps to address the rise in road accidents," said a senior Jammu & Kashmir Traffic Police Officer. "Public cooperation is essential, and we urge everyone to follow traffic rules and drive responsibly."
The official further stated, "We have taken stern action against traffic violators. So far, 720,979 violators have been challenged. Of these, 2,11,077 were compounded, while the remaining 5,09,902 were court challans. Most of the challans (2,14,209) were issued by the Rural Kashmir unit of the J&K Traffic Police, while the fewest (45,798) were issued by the National Highway Ramban unit."
