Ludhiana: A recent report by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) flags what Ludhiana residents already know. The city figured among the top 15 cities in the country in terms of road accident deaths in 2024. However, there was a slight reduction in road accident cases compared to the previous year.According to the latest NCRB report, 376 people died in 483 road accidents in Ludhiana in 2024. With this, the city ranked 14th among 53 cities across the country in terms of fatal road accidents. Delhi ranked first in road accident deaths in 2024, followed by Bengaluru, while Jaipur took the third position.In the region comprising Punjab and Chandigarh, Ludhiana was ranked first, followed by Amritsar, in terms of road accident deaths in 2024. In 2023, Ludhiana was ranked 12th among around 50 cities nationwide.Data suggests that, compared to 2023, the number of road accident deaths in Ludhiana dropped by 6.5% in 2024. NCRB data on road accident fatalities in the city since 2020 shows that deaths were highest in 2023 and lowest in 2020.The latest NCRB report indicates that among the various causes of road accidents in 2024, overspeeding was the leading cause of fatalities. A total of 168 deaths were attributed to overspeeding, accounting for 44.6% of the cumulative figure. Dangerous or careless driving, including overtaking, was the second major cause, contributing 88 deaths. Animal crossings also contributed to road fatalities, with 15 deaths reported.A road safety expert underlined the need for improvements in road safety infrastructure in the city.Speaking to TOI, Kamaljeet Soi, former member of the National Safety Council, said Ludhiana continues to be among the top five cities in the country in terms of fatality rate. He attributed this to poor road conditions, lack of enforcement of traffic rules and inadequate traffic management. He pointed out that the city has about 70 cops per lakh population, against the norm of 220 cops per lakh population. He also stressed the need for adequate infrastructure to improve road safety.City resident Kimti Rawal stressed the urgent need for stricter road safety measures and greater public awareness.Can be added as boxes:Box 1: Ludh Accident StatisticsYear | Road accidents | Deaths | Injuries 2020 | 388 | 281 | 183 2021 | 478 | 380 | 169 2022 | 467 | 364 | 174 2023 | 504 | 402 | 209 2024 | 483 | 376 | 199 |Box 2:Box 3: City Rankings Name of City | Accident deaths in 2024 | Rank among cities Delhi (city) | 1,551 | 1 |Bengaluru | 894 | 2 Jaipur | 860 | 3 Lucknow | 600 | 4 Agra | 586 | 5 Kanpur | 560 | 6 Allahabad (Prayagraj) | 547 | 7 Chennai | 542 | 8 Raipur | 467 | 9 Vijayawada | 430 | 10 Ahmedabad | 410 | 11 Pune | 381 | 12 Ghaziabad | 377 | 13 Ludhiana | 376 | 14 MSID:: 130896404 413 |
