Tracing traffic violations: Road deaths fall for second straight year in Bengaluru despite rise in accidents

Bengaluru saw a marginal rise in road accidents in 2025, recording 4,893 incidents compared to 4,769 in 2024, according to Bengaluru Traffic police (BTP) data. On the positive side, the number of fatal accidents and deaths have declined for the second consecutive year .

The fringes of the city have emerged as hotspots for fatal incidents, with the top five police stations located on the outskirts of the city accounted for 27% of the accidents, revealed ASTraM data.

The last five years from 2021 to 2025 have recorded fewer accidents than the 2011-2015 period. However, the percentage of fatal accidents increased by 4.8%, a trend attributed to policy changes and the addition of four police stations added to the city limits in 2025 .

Overall, 2025 fared better compared to previous years, which is evident from a substantial dip in self-accidents and a marginal decline in pedestrian deaths.

In 2024, 212 people died due to self-accidents, while the number stood at 210 in 2023. In 2025, this figure declined to 180, marking a 15% drop. Pedestrian deaths due to road accidents also fell to 225 in 2025 from 233 in 2024. The number was 260 in 2023.

Karthik Reddy, Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic), attributed the improvement to better enforcement and special drives such as drunk-driving checks, which led to a reduction in accidents.

A senior police officer from the north division told The Hindu that they adopted scientific approaches such as closing entry and exit points and U-turns on the outskirts, which were major contributing factors to accidents. However, he admitted that pedestrian safety remains a major concern.

“There is a dire need for foot-over-bridges in the city, especially on highways. Most bridges within the city are not used due to poor maintenance,” he said, adding that the situation is expected to improve in 2026 as the formation of the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) is yielding better coordination.

On the other hand, injuries continue to be a concern. In 2024, 3,900 non-fatal accidents left 4,022 people injured. The number of non-fatal accidents increased to 4,050 in 2025, leaving 4,272 people injured.

The officer explained that the city has been witnessing a rise in vehicle numbers and congestion, leading to an increase in minor accidents. He added that accidents involving even minor injuries are now being registered, which was not the case earlier.

“We must also consider infrastructure limitations and ongoing works, as they often contribute to accidents. In such cases, people seek FIRs to claim insurance, leading to an increase in reported numbers,” the officer said.

Between 2011 and 2015, the city recorded 26,588 accident cases, with fatal accidents accounting for 13.64%, resulting in 3,770 deaths. Between 2016 and 2020, accident numbers stood at 21,671, with fatalities accounting for 14.79%, leading to 3,534 deaths.

Between 2021 and 2025, fatal accidents accounted for 18.30% of total cases (21,671), resulting in 4,108 deaths.

The police point out that there was a policy change after 2020. “Earlier, some self-accident cases were being booked as Unnatural Death Reports (UDRs), which led to the loss of insurance compensation. As a result, self-accidents are now being registered as FIRs,” an officer said .

Another officer pointed to a decline in on-ground enforcement, leading to negligent driving, especially riding without helmets, between 2021 and 2025. He believes this also contributed to the increase in fatal accidents, as commuters feared enforcement less during these years.

Outskirts, a problematic equation

According to the data, the top five police stations witnessing fatal accidents are Yelahanka (49), Chikkajala (42), Electronics City (38), Devanahalli Airport (36), and K.R. Puram (30), all on the city’s fringes.

A senior officer from the northeast division said these jurisdictions have relatively free roads and highways, where speeding is a major concern leading to fatalities. He added that Yelahanka and K.R. Puram cover larger jurisdictions, where enforcement may be relatively limited, contributing to higher accident numbers.

“Stretches such as the airport road are signal-free, and many motorists indulge in speeding, leading to accidents. However, violations have reduced after the installation of cameras,” he said.

This year, the traffic police plan to address issues scientifically by drawing up strategies after reviewing data and strengthening multi-department coordination. They believe the GBA could prove to be a game changer this year.

(This is the second of a three-part series, in which we look at trends and patterns in Bengaluru’s traffic violations.)