Published Jun 11, 2026 | 8:00 AM ⚊ Updated Jun 11, 2026 | 8:00 AM
On average, Kerala witnessed more than 135 accidents and around nine deaths every day.
Synopsis: Kerala recorded nearly 99,000 road accidents in 2024 and 2025, killing more than 7,600 people and injuring over 1.11 lakh, with overspeeding emerging as the leading cause of crashes, according to State Crime Records Bureau data. Most accidents occurred in clear weather and on straight stretches of road, while pedestrians, two-wheeler riders and senior citizens remained among the most vulnerable road users.
Kerala recorded 98,723 road accidents in the last two years, resulting in more than 7,613 deaths and leaving over 1.11 lakh people injured, according to data from the Road Accident Analysis reports of the State Crime Records Bureau.
On average, the state witnessed more than 135 accidents and around nine deaths every day during that period. The figures show that road accidents remain a leading cause of death and disability among people aged 15 to 60 years.
The report, which examined accidents under 21 categories, analysed crashes based on factors such as timing, road conditions, vehicle type and weather patterns, besides mapping their geographical spread and causes.
Concerningly, most accidents occurred during clear weather conditions, while the highest number of fatalities were reported on straight stretches of road. Overspeeding was identified as the single biggest cause of the crashes. Pedestrians remained highly vulnerable, with the largest number of pedestrian accidents occurring on footpaths themselves.
At the same time, the number of registered vehicles crossed 1.82 crore in 2025, up from 94.2 lakh in 2015, nearly doubling in a decade.
In 2024-25 alone, nearly 7.9 lakh new vehicles were added, though annual vehicle registrations have dipped by 6.91 percent over the past decade, from 9.4 lakh in 2016 to 8.7 lakh in 2025.
Over 118 lakh two-wheelers, 42.7 lakh cars and more than nine lakh autorickshaws currently ply Kerala’s roads.
Despite Kerala having a total road length of 1.97 lakh km, intense urban sprawl and ribbon development along major corridors have severely restricted road widening and traffic expansion, particularly in densely populated districts.
Ernakulam recorded the highest vehicle population at 23.72 lakh, followed by Thiruvananthapuram with 21.89 lakh vehicles, while Wayanad had the lowest at 3.4 lakh.
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Kerala recorded 49,889 road accidents in 2025, claiming 3,733 lives and injuring 56,922 people.
Notably, 18 incidents did not involve any vehicle. Many of these incidents were caused by hazardous road conditions, including cables left across roads, poorly restored stretches following utility works and unsafe excavation sites.
Ernakulam Rural recorded the highest number of accidents with 4,614 cases, followed by Alappuzha (3,954) and Malappuram (3,568). Wayanad recorded the fewest accidents at 961, followed by Kasaragod and Kannur Rural.
Malappuram reported the highest number of road deaths at 333, accounting for nearly nine percent of the state’s total fatalities. Palakkad and Thiruvananthapuram Rural followed with 305 and 303 deaths respectively. Wayanad and Kannur Rural recorded the fewest fatalities, with 69 deaths each.
More than 82 percent of accidents occurred during sunny or clear weather conditions, accounting for 40,980 crashes and 2,809 deaths.
Straight stretches of road accounted for 2,153 deaths and more than 23,000 grievous injuries, substantially higher than curved roads or junctions.
Of the 10,207 crashes reported at junctions, more than 27 percent occurred despite the presence of traffic signals, police control or warning systems.
Overspeeding contributed to 23,278 accidents, nearly 47 percent of all crashes. It accounted for 42.86 percent of road deaths and nearly 47 percent of injuries. Accidents linked to mobile phone use while driving numbered 23.
Pedestrians accounted for some of the highest casualties among road users. Footpaths recorded the highest number of pedestrian-related crashes, resulting in 304 deaths and more than 2,500 grievous injuries.
A total of 219 deaths and 609 grievous injuries involved riders not wearing helmets. Pillion riders accounted for nearly 40 percent of those deaths. Motorists and passengers not wearing seat belts suffered 68 deaths and nearly 700 grievous injuries.
Among the 80 male cyclists killed in accidents, more than 22 percent were above the age of 60. No female cyclist fatalities were reported during the year.
The period between 6 pm and 9 pm accounted for more than one-fifth of all road deaths, the highest among all time slots.
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In 2024, Kerala recorded 48,834 road accidents, claiming 3,880 lives and injuring 54,796 people, roughly 133 accidents and eight deaths every day.
Two-wheeler riders accounted for 2,168 deaths, nearly 56 percent of all road fatalities. Pedestrian deaths stood at 1,072, accounting for more than a quarter of those killed in road accidents across the state.
Ernakulam Rural recorded the highest number of accidents at 4,400, followed by Alappuzha (3,965) and Kottayam (3,504). Wayanad recorded the fewest accidents at 908. Palakkad reported the highest number of fatalities at 333, followed by Ernakulam Rural (317) and Malappuram (316).
Rural areas accounted for nearly 69 percent of all accidents, while urban areas accounted for just over 30 percent.
As many as 40,554 crashes and 2,800 deaths occurred during sunny or clear weather conditions. Straight stretches of road accounted for 2,062 deaths, the highest among all road categories. They also recorded the highest number of grievous injuries.
Overspeeding contributed to 25,687 accidents, accounting for more than half of all crashes reported during the year. Nearly 47 percent of all deaths and more than 52 percent of injuries were caused by speeding. Accidents attributed to mobile phone use while driving numbered 72.
Senior citizens accounted for a significant share of vulnerable road users. Among pedestrians killed in accidents, 609 were aged 60 and above. Half of the male cyclists who died in accidents were also senior citizens.
January recorded the highest number of accidents at 4,774, while April recorded the highest death toll at 405.
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State Police Chief Ravada A Chandrasekhar said the growing number of pedestrians involved in fatal accidents was a matter of serious concern and stressed the need for stronger awareness campaigns and stricter enforcement, particularly among youngsters.
A study by the National Transportation Planning and Research Centre (NATPAC) found that pedestrians accounted for 26.5 percent of all road accident deaths in Kerala between 2018 and 2022.
The study identified around 400 pedestrian-vulnerable road corridors spanning 555.81 km across the state. More than 5,100 pedestrians lost their lives in crashes along these stretches during the five-year period.
It also found that 62 percent of these corridors lacked essential pedestrian infrastructure such as footpaths and zebra crossings. Experts have called for corridor-based safety interventions rather than isolated black-spot measures.
Kerala Police said it is implementing a comprehensive road safety strategy combining public awareness campaigns, engineering interventions, stricter traffic enforcement and faster emergency response systems.
The Kerala Road Safety Authority’s Mission Zero campaign aims to eliminate road accident deaths by 2030 through AI-based enforcement, black-spot rectification, stricter monitoring and improved trauma care.
