Jammu, Sep 14 (IANS): At least two people were killed and seven others injured on Monday in a road accident in Jammu and Kashmir’s Reasi district.
Officials said two people were killed and seven others injured after a passenger Matador (Mini bus) overturned near the Bakkal Tunnel area of the district. “The Matador bearing registration number JK14B-2973, was travelling from Bakkal towards Reasi when it overturned,” officials said.
“Two passengers died in the accident, while seven others sustained injuries and their identities are being ascertained. Police and rescue teams have reached the spot and shifted the injured to a nearby hospital for treatment. Police have taken cognisance of the incident,” the officials added.
Road accidents in Jammu and Kashmir are a major public safety crisis, frequently claiming more lives annually than militancy-related incidents.
Official data from the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) classifies these accidents as a multi-causal phenomenon driven by human error, environmental factors, and vehicular issues.
Over-speeding consistently ranks as the leading cause of road casualties across the union territory. Drivers frequently use mobile phones or lose focus while driving. Pervasive disregard for traffic rules, including wrong-side driving, jumping traffic lights, and overtaking at a blind curve are other major reasons for road accidents.
In two-wheeler accidents, there is a high fatality rate due to a refusal to wear helmets. A significant number of accidents involve underage drivers or individuals operating vehicles without valid licenses or proper training and driving under the influence of alcohol, drugs, or acute driver fatigue.
Fatalities are heavily concentrated on national highways in hilly and treacherous terrains, such as the Doda-Kishtwar-Ramban stretch. These roads are often narrow and lack critical safety features, such as guardrails and proper signage.
Inspections by road safety teams have revealed structural weaknesses on major routes, such as poorly placed U-turns, unauthorised entry points from residential colonies, and misplaced road grills.
