Worse, it was also second in India – after only Uttar Pradesh – in the number of deaths due to DD.
The figures come as a shock, especially with three police commissioners running a massive campaign against drunken driving in Hyderabad and elsewhere.
Authorities have acknowledged the need to crack down on drunken driving. “For the past few years, we have been paying special attention to prevent drunken driving accidents through comprehensive DD checking. This needs to be intensified further in districts and on highways.
While the northern state reported 541 deaths due to 1,039 DD road accidents, the death toll in Telangana stood at 343.
Incidentally, the state witnessed a decline in overall road accident cases with a decrease of 11.11% in 2020 as compared to 2019. It recorded 19,172 accidents with 6,882 deaths last year. In Hyderabad, 254 persons died in 2,064 road accidents during the year.
According to NCRB data, overspeeding is the primary cause of accidents in Telangana, with 14,978 accidents being registered due to overspeeding alone. While 5,460 people died in such cases, 498 pedestrians died in various road accidents, the data said.
“The decline in the total number of road accidents is an encouraging sign,” a senior Telangana Police official said.
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