Status: cleared
Chennai: Tamil Nadu witnessed a 15 percent reduction in road fatalities in the first quarter of 2025, marking the lowest number of road deaths in a decade, excluding pandemic years.

The state recorded 4,136 fatalities in the first three months of 2025, compared to 4,864 during the same period in 2024. This decline resulted from a series of transformative measures, including the establishment of a 24/7 highway patrol system, which ensured swift emergency responses to accidents, a press release from the Tamil Nadu police headquarters said.
At least 2,551 accident victims were rescued within the “Golden Hour”—a time period when medical intervention is most effective. In addition to emergency response, the state also focused on engineering improvements, such as safer U-turns and better signage, to address infrastructure-related causes of accidents.
Strict enforcement helped in reducing fatalities. In the first quarter of 2025, the police booked over 38 lakh traffic violations. Among the offences, 62,523 cases were for overspeeding, 83,783 for jumping red lights, and 59,084 for drunk driving. Additionally, 1.13 lakh cases were booked for mobile phone use while driving, and 16.56 lakh violations for not wearing helmets.
Awareness programmes targeting schools, colleges, and high-risk areas educated the public about safe driving practices also helped. These efforts reached 5.71 lakh citizens, with special emphasis placed on commercial drivers.
Inset:
The Greater Chennai Traffic Police fined nearly 250 police personnel for not wearing helmets while riding two-wheelers in the last four days. Each of them was issued a fine of ₹1,000 and given a warning. This action comes in the wake of complaints received by senior officials regarding policemen themselves flouting helmet rules.
Traffic enforcement teams specifically targeted vehicles displaying police stickers or those ridden by personnel in uniform. Both the rider and pillion, if found without helmets, were penalised. The move is part of an internal push to ensure that police personnel set the right example for the public when it comes to following road safety regulations. Clear instructions were issued to all units, stressing that adherence to traffic laws is mandatory, regardless of rank or designation.
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