T’puram: While road accident deaths in Thiruvananthapuram have not risen sharply over the past three years, official data reveal a worrying surge in grievous injuries, signalling a silent public health and economic crisis. Between 2022 and 2025, the total number of road accidents reported in city increased from 1,825 to 2,500, while accidents in rural areas rose from 3,260 to 3,545. During the same period, fatalities declined from 171 to 144 and deaths in rural areas fell from 373 to 303. Officials attributed the reduction in fatalities to improved trauma care, faster emergency response, and stricter enforcement of helmet and seat belt norms. A decline in head-on collisions has also contributed to fewer deaths, they said. However, the fall in fatalities has been accompanied by a sharp rise in grievous injuries.In the city, cases involving grievous injuries increased from 1,422 in 2022 to 1,977 in 2025. Rural areas recorded a similar rise, from 2,622 to 2,995 during the same period. The pattern is reflected across Kerala as well. Statewide data show that grievous accidents rose from 31,584 in 2022 to 36,245 in 2025, while the number of persons grievously injured increased from 34,638 to 39,904.Experts warn that the growing burden of grievous injuries has long-term social and economic consequences. “Many survivors of grievous accidents require prolonged treatment and are unable to return to work for extended periods. This places a heavy financial burden on families,” said Godwin S K, a health economist and economics faculty member at Govt College for Women, Thiruvananthapuram, who has conducted extensive research on the economic impact of road accident injuries. He said that in cases involving drunk driving, the medico-legal process often becomes complicated, leading to delays in treatment and additional stress for patients and families. “In a single hospital admission, the cost of treating grievous injuries can range from Rs 30,000 to 1 lakh, depending on the severity. For many families in Kerala, this can severely affect livelihoods,” he added. Traffic officials pointed to unsafe driving practices as the primary contributors to the severity of accidents. R Suresh, assistant commissioner of traffic, said rash and drunk driving contributed to nearly 80% of grievous injury cases.
