THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A recent study conducted by the National Transportation Planning and Research Centre (NATPAC) has highlighted the alarmingly high number of pedestrian vulnerable corridors in the Indian state of Kerala. The analysis found that there are 400 such sections of road, spanning a total length of 555.81 kilometers, where risks to pedestrians are significantly higher than other areas.
According to the study based on data from 2018 to 2022, pedestrian deaths accounted for 26.5% of the total fatalities in road accidents during this period. This means that over one-fourth of all road accident fatalities in Kerala involved pedestrians.
The study further stated that about 62% of these 400 vulnerable corridors lack essential pedestrian facilities such as footpaths and zebra crossings, thereby increasing the risks to pedestrians using these areas.
The findings have raised concerns among local authorities and traffic police, with V S Sanjay Kumar, a senior officer with the Kerala Police, noting that “improving pedestrian safety is a top priority for us.”
The study serves as a call to action for relevant authorities to address these vulnerable corridors urgently. Implementing measures such as installing footpaths, zebra crossings, and improving road design in these areas could potentially reduce the number of pedestrian fatalities and improve overall road safety in Kerala.
