As the new year dawned in Goa, the State experienced an alarming surge in road accidents, with nine lives lost in just three days—a stark contrast to the same period last year, indicating a fourfold increase. Examining the statistics from January to November 2023, an average of one person per day lost their life in accidents, resulting in a total of 230 fatalities. The number of deaths varied a lot, with January 2023 being the worst with 38 deaths, and August the lowest with 11.
“The authorities which issue the license should be stricter, and driving schools should give proper knowledge about the driving lessons,” said Sabrina Teles. She further added that drivers should stay in their Line and not overtake without looking in the rare mirror and giving an indicator.
Another local Tony Fernandes from Panjim said, “Reckless driving, driving under the influence of the alcohol, flouting rules and bad roads are some of the reasons why there is a rise in the accidents, infrastructure is not in its place. The whole city is a mess and locals should wait and watch till the smart city project is completed.”
Advocate Tarzan D’ Costa attributes the escalating accidents to lax licensing procedures and inadequate vehicle inspections. Accidents in Goa have been rising for the last few years. And that is because they have been issuing the licenses without really checking into the background of the riders, D’Costa claimed. “Licenses are being issued even without checking also the vehicles of the riders, but the main problems are our roads. Roads are narrow, roads are very badly maintained, which causes most of the accidents. The next thing is that there is no proper traffic regulation and management of how the traffic should move around. Many accidents are also taking place because the whole city has been dug up for the Smart City project”, he said.
The prevailing road safety crisis in Goa demands immediate and comprehensive action. Advocacy for stricter licensing, enhanced driver education, and urgent infrastructural improvements emerge as a consensus among concerned locals and legal experts alike.
