Road accidents claim 1,446 lives in Hyderabad in five years
Data from traffic police records shows that road accidents and fatalities have remained consistently high in the city over the past five years, with overspeeding emerging as the dominant cause
By - Sistla Dakshina Murthy
Reckless, drunk driving claim 1,446 lives in Hyderabad in 5 years
Hyderabad: Reckless and drunk driving, coupled with blatant violation of traffic rules, have claimed 1,446 lives in Hyderabad in the last five years.
Official figures reveal that Hyderabad witnessed 11,404 road accidents from 2021 to 2025. On average, nearly 300 lives are lost on Hyderabad roads every year.
Despite sustained enforcement and awareness drives by the city police, road accidents remain a serious public safety concern, particularly during late-night hours.
Alarming trend over five years
Data from traffic police records shows that road accidents and fatalities have remained consistently high in the city over the past five years, with overspeeding emerging as the dominant cause.
2021: 2,060 accidents; 297 deaths
2022: 2,017 accidents; 301 deaths
2023: 2,034 accidents; 335 deaths
2024: 2,745 accidents; 227 deaths
2025: 2,548 accidents; 286 deaths
Officials note that while the number of accidents fluctuates, fatalities remain stubbornly high.
Late-night hours most dangerous
A significant share of fatal accidents occur between 11 pm and 4 am, when traffic thins out, and motorists tend to drive at excessive speeds.
Two-wheeler riders form the bulk of victims, many of them riding without helmets or indulging in risky overtaking and wrong-side driving.
Vehicle surge strains city roads
Hyderabad sees 25–30 lakh vehicles on its roads every day, with over five lakh additional vehicles entering the city from neighbouring districts and States.
Traffic woes are aggravated by unsafe U-turns, damaged road stretches, encroachments, and the illegal movement of private buses and heavy vehicles on restricted routes.
Though traffic police regularly book cases, repeat violations continue to pose a major challenge.
Key reasons behind road mishaps
Police investigations have identified multiple factors contributing to accidents: Overspeeding and aggressive driving, riding two-wheelers without helmets, using mobile phones while driving, wrong-side driving and unsafe shortcuts, drunk driving, especially near flyovers and junction curves, failure to wear seat belts, and allowing minors to drive.
The city also has nearly 50 accident-prone black spots where crashes occur frequently.
‘Rule compliance is the real safety shield’
Calling for stricter self-discipline among motorists, Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Joel Davis said traffic rules are meant to save lives, not penalise drivers.
“Many parents continue to allow children to ride or drive vehicles despite repeated warnings. Overspeeding and drunken driving account for the majority of fatal accidents. It is particularly worrying that most victims fall in the 20–35 age group,” he said.
Awareness alongside enforcement
Along with registering cases against violators, Hyderabad Traffic Police are intensifying road safety awareness programmes across schools, colleges, and public spaces. Officials stress that behavioural change and responsible driving, more than policing alone, are crucial to reducing the city’s rising accident toll.
