88 Dead, 1,000 Injured in Road Accidents in Jammu Districts

In a concerning rise in traffic fatalities, 88 people lost their lives and over 1,000 sustained injuries due to road accidents across Kathua, Samba, Rajouri, and Poonch districts of Jammu during the first seven months of this year. The Traffic Police (Rural Jammu) launched a focused enforcement campaign from September 1 to 14, addressing reckless riding that accounted for a staggering 44 percent of the recorded accidents.

According to an analysis by Traffic Police Rural Jammu, a total of 699 accidents were reported from January 1 to July 31. This led to significant attention being drawn to the alarming involvement of two-wheelers in these incidents. The police’s dedicated drive resulted in the issuance of 8,675 fines aimed primarily at two-wheeler violations.

The awareness campaign arose from a detailed investigation of accident statistics revealing that two-wheelers were involved in 309 accidents, which included 39 fatal incidents. In these accidents, 384 individuals experienced injuries, with single-vehicle losses comprising 144 cases.

Among these accidents, 102 took place on National Highways, which represented 41 percent of the incidents, while 210 accidents, or 47 percent, occurred on other roads linked to two-wheelers.

Younger riders remain particularly at risk, with 27 percent of accident victims falling below the age of 26 years. Of the 699 road accidents during this timeframe, 445, or 64 percent, involved single vehicles.

To combat the escalating death toll and serious injuries, Traffic Police Rural Jammu implemented a comprehensive awareness campaign across the four districts. Alongside strict enforcement actions, the police aimed to educate the public on road safety.

During the 14-day drive, the traffic police issued fines for various violations, including 5,767 fines for riding without helmets and 1,152 for pillion riders who neglected helmet use. An additional 1,106 violations were logged for triple riding.

Other notable fines included 188 for driving while using a mobile phone, and 260 fines for dangerous driving. The campaign also focused on three minors found illegally operating two-wheelers, resulting in vehicle seizures. In total, 187 vehicles were confiscated for various traffic violations.

In an effort to raise awareness, the Traffic Police implemented 267 educational programs at schools, tuition centers, and other public spaces to inform primarily young riders about safe driving practices and the rules established in the Motor Vehicles Act.

To further engage the community, the Traffic Police organized on-road counseling sessions in Rajouri and Poonch. Under dedicated canopies, road users, especially two-wheeler riders, received counseling focused on the importance of wearing helmets and following traffic rules. These sessions employed a novel approach of ‘no-challan, only counseling’, emphasizing dialogue and education over punitive measures.

Senior Superintendent of Police, Traffic Rural Jammu, Farooq Qaiser, stated that future campaigns will extend to target other vehicle categories, including Light Motor Vehicles (LMVs). He stressed the importance of adherence to traffic rules and the Motor Vehicles Act, warning that strict enforcement against violators would persist in safeguarding public safety.