Every year, over 350 people lose their lives in road accidents across Goa. This is not just a statistic. It is a silent epidemic claiming lives in our neighbourhoods, our families, and threatening future generations. Despite repeated promises and campaigns, the State has failed to stem this rising tide of preventable deaths.
During the recent 8th UN Global Road Safety Week, a sobering statistic emerged from a traffic warden training programme jointly conducted by GOACAN and the Goa Traffic Police: 95 people died in road accidents in just the first 131 days of 2025. That means one death every 33 hours. We don’t need more evidence; we need action.
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It is true that not every road death can be blamed directly on the government. But when nearly 60% of these fatalities are young people between 20 and 40, and most are due to rash driving, lack of helmets, or drunk driving, it signals a systemic failure, both of governance and civic responsibility.
The roads have become battlegrounds, and the youth are the casualties. Traffic rules exist, but they are followed more in breach than in practice. An estimated 95% of drivers in Goa routinely flout traffic rules. Even if half of them followed the basics wearing helmets, respecting speed limits, avoiding drunk driving, we would save hundreds of lives every year.
Yes, the government has made announcements. Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant and Transport Minister Mauvin Godinho have assured measures to curb road accidents. But the assurances have largely remained lip service. The so-called “accident season” that began on January 1 continues unchecked, claiming lives as predictably as the calendar flips.
In recent years, even with the introduction of the amended Motor Vehicles Act and increased fines, enforcement has been sporadic and short-lived. Campaigns start with fanfare and fade within weeks. Meetings are held, but follow-ups are forgotten. Three months ago, the transport minister called for a multi-departmental meeting to address road safety. Orders were issued. Identify black spots, increase patrolling, tighten enforcement. But where are the results ? No sustained action. No accountability. No real change.
The public, especially young riders and drivers, cannot absolve themselves. The roads are dangerous not just because of potholes or poor signage, but because recklessness is the norm. Overtaking on blind turns, riding without helmets, and speeding through narrow village lanes have become everyday habits. Tragic as it is, many of the dead are victims of their own disregard for life and law.
If we are serious about reducing accidents, the solution lies in consistent enforcement, civic education, and urgent infrastructure upgrades.
The road infrastructure itself is part of the problem. While national highways are being widened, roads in towns and villages remain narrow, potholed, and dangerously curved. Basic safety measures like convex mirrors at sharp turns, automatic signals, visible signage, and well-maintained footpaths are missing. In a state where tourism thrives and vehicular traffic keeps increasing, this is a recipe for tragedy.
Moreover, the process of issuing a driving licence needs an overhaul. It should not be a rubber stamp but a serious process involving mandatory training in traffic rules and road ethics. A person should know not just how to operate a vehicle, but where to stop, how to overtake safely, and what speed is appropriate. Licences should be suspended without hesitation for repeated violations, and violators must be penalised severely and consistently.
We must also stop treating traffic rules as optional. In India, and Goa is no exception, there seems to be a peculiar arrogance in breaking rules, as if it’s a show of strength or influence. Until this mindset changes, until every driver understands that there is a life waiting at home, we will continue to count bodies instead of blessings.
It is time for Goa to rise above promises and token campaigns. It is time for real, relentless, and responsible action. Road safety is not a seasonal agenda. It must be a daily commitment. If we don’t act now, the next statistic could be one of us.
