Road accident fatalities have decreased by 12% in 2025 as on August 3 when compared to the same period in 2024 in city limits, according to statistics provided by Greater Chennai TrafficPolice (GCTP). This was made possible by a series of steps taken by the GCTP.

As many as 316 fatalities occurred last year till August 3. This has been brought down to 278 fatalities.

Additional Commissioner of Police, Traffic, G. Karthikeyan said, “We have undertaken various steps and remedial measures to reduce road accidents and enhance road safety across the city through increased enforcement, patrolling, and awareness activities. Also, GCTP creates impactful awareness among the road users by asking the public to maintain road discipline, follow safety guidelines, use protective gear and educate themselves on road safety.”

In coordination with experts, GCTP has facilitated training programmes for police personnel towards technological approaches for accident reductions and through workshops and safety education programs for schoolchildren, bus drivers, and delivery agents, he said.

Last year, 534 fatal road accidents were reported in the city. Of them, 380 involved two-wheelers amounting to 71%. Similarly, 66 fatal accidents involving four wheelers were reported.

Of the 278 fatal accidents that have been reported so far this year, 214 of them involved two wheelers  and 29 of them involved four wheelers.

The GCTP has strengthened its enforcement strategy by booking more cases against over speeding, drunken driving,and riding without helmet through manual checks and technological initiatives like ANPR cameras, 2D – Speed Radar System and Vehicle interceptor system throughout the city. The GCTP booked 13,389 cases for drunk driving last year and 13,185 cases so far this year. K. P. Subramanian, an expert in urban engineering said, “It’s heartening to note that the rate of accidents in Chennai has reduced by 12% due to multi-pronged strategies adopted by the traffic police. As it is the institution in-charge of in charge of traffic rules enforcement, accident investigation, including accident data collection, data analysis, and drawing of inferences, the GCTP should validate their findings through an independent and impartial third-party audit,” he said.

B. Ramdasse, road safety expert, said the GCTP periodically implements traffic diversion in various high traffic volume roads to ease the traffic congestion and this in turn helps in reducing the accidents at the junctions. “In coordination with Chennai Metro Rail Limited, trial runs are being successfully implemented in junctions and other places where Metro works are happening to reduce accidents,” he said.