Difference in number of road accidents, FIRs and casualties between police wings: RTI reply

Meanwhile, details provided in the reply of RCAC of traffic police states that a total 710 human casualties were reported in 2,099 road accidents in which equal number, 2,099, FIRs were registered and unknown vehicles/drivers were involved in 256 road accidents between January 1, 2015 and August 31, 2021. The information was supplied through four replies including three from the respective Chandigarh police sub divisions – East, Central, South – and the fourth reply was from the RCAC of UT traffic police. At the time when replies were provided, the police divisions were not bifurcated in five divisions.

Sources said, “The RCAC collects the figures about fatal casualties, road accidents from the police stations. This wing has nothing to do with the criminal investigation, prosecution of the alleged drivers involved in the road accidents.”

“Indeed, huge differences between the figures of total registration of FIRs of RCAC and the police stations’ is a matter of concern. But there is a reason behind the difference. RCAC calculates every death in a road accident be it without the involvement of any other vehicle as a fatal casualty. An FIR also does not register in such cases. But police stations’ records calculate fatal casualties in road accidents in which FIRs were registered and accidents caused by other vehicles,” DSP (Admn), Traffic, Palak Goel, incharge RCAC, said. RCAC is situated in Children Traffic Park (CTP), Sector 23.

Meanwhile, the RCAC conducts in depth study of every road crash whether there are any road engineering defects like blind curve, poor condition of the road, absence of dividers, street lights, zebra crossings, etc. The branch aims at generating debate and discussion regarding the causes of accidents and the steps that need to be adopted for their prevention. The branch compiles all crash related data to be transmitted to the Road Safety Cell of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, for incorporation into the national database.