Srinagar, Oct 03: Kashmir Valley has recorded a sharp decline in both road accidents and fatalities in 2026, with mishaps falling by 27.7 per cent and deaths by 35.26 per cent till September 30 compared to the same period last year.
According to official details available with Rising Kashmir, the Valley recorded 1,495 accidents till September 30, 2026, compared to 2,067 in the corresponding period of 2025.
In 2025, of the total 2,067 accidents, 312 people lost their lives, while 482 people sustained injuries during the same period.
In 2026, the figures show a decline of 35.26 per cent in fatalities, with 202 people losing their lives, while injuries also witnessed a decline of 32 per cent, with a total of 328 injuries reported till September 30.
According to these figures, a total of 514 people have lost their lives in 3,562 accidents from January 2025 till September 2026.
According to the data, Traffic Police Kashmir has stated that overspeeding is one of the major causes of fatal accidents. Other reasons include rash and negligent driving (sudden manoeuvres and violation of traffic rules), dangerous overtaking (especially on curves, narrow roads and hill stretches), poor road engineering (black spots, sharp curves, inadequate signage and road protection) and drunk/impaired driving (reduced judgement, reaction time and vehicle control).
Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Traffic, Kashmir, Haseeb-ur-Rehman, told Rising Kashmir that the number of road accidents, especially along the highways, has declined as a number of measures have been taken to ensure there is no norm violation.
“I have personally taken up the matter of erecting sign boards of speed limits with the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), following which the NHAI erected speed-limit boards from Qazigund to all the highways across Kashmir,” he said.
He appealed to people to follow the speed limit signboards. “The people should remain cautious, and anyone found violating the sign board directions will face hefty fines,” he said.
