Telangana Ranks Eighth in Road Mishaps Nationally

Hyderabad: A deadly crash in Chevella on Monday that claimed 19 lives has once again drawn attention to the rising number of heavy-vehicle accidents in Telangana and across India.

The Chevella incident, which devastated several families, highlights a worrying pattern — heavy vehicles account for a significant share of fatal crashes, ranking eighth nationally, and often involve vulnerable road users.

National data from the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) show that trucks and lorries were responsible for more than 13,651 accidents in 2023. Accidents caused by trucks and lorries accounted for 5.8 per cent of total fatalities in 2023.

Those affected by these accidents include pedestrians, cyclists, two-wheelers, autorickshaws, cars, taxis, vans, trucks, lorries, buses, and other non-motorised vehicles such as e-autos.

Telangana’s figures show that 401 people were killed in 1,187 accidents involving trucks and lorries in the state, leaving 102 grievously injured and 740 with minor injuries. In the case of buses, 434 accidents were recorded, resulting in 104 deaths and leaving 80 grievously and 505 slightly injured.

Telangana recorded 8,103 road accidents on National Highways in 2023, with 3,058 deaths along these stretches, placing the state ninth in the country for highway fatalities. Heavy-vehicle collisions involving riders of bikes, autos, or buses tend to cause higher casualties, similar to the Chevella tragedy. Police officials attribute such accidents to multiple causes — including overloading, overspeeding, and poorly maintained vehicles — which lead to serious mishaps.

D. Srinivas, traffic DCP, Rachakonda, said, “Other recurring reasons include untrained or fatigued drivers, inadequate segregation of slow-moving traffic, and weak enforcement of speed and load norms.”

He added that driving heavy vehicles requires specialised experience and that the transport department must strengthen its monitoring and inspection of vehicles carrying loads at highway checkpoints to help reduce accidents involving heavy vehicles.

Road safety officials, however, intervene only when accidents are linked to faulty road conditions or engineering issues, which are discussed in coordination meetings with district collectors.

Key truck and heavy-vehicle figures of Telangana in 2023

Accidents on National Highways: 8,103.

Persons killed in accidents involving trucks and lorries: 583

Persons killed on National Highways: 3,058

Persons killed on State Highways: 717