‘Ignoring Traffic Rules Costs 20 Lives A Day In Telangana’: DGP Shivadhar Reddy
Telangana’s DGP highlights driver errors as main cause of road deaths, urges safety measures, and outlines police efforts to cut accidents and enforce strict fines.
Published : April 24, 2026 at 2:14 PM IST
Hyderabad: Telangana Director General of Police (DGP) B Shivadhar Reddy has blamed personal errors by motorists, including disregard for traffic rules and lack of civic sense, as the leading causes of road accidents in the state, which claim the lives of an average of 20 persons daily.
Speaking to ‘Eenadu-ETV Bharat’ during the recent ‘Arrive Alive’ campaign, he stressed the importance of basic safety measures and outlined ongoing efforts by the Police Department to reduce deaths due to road accidents and improve road safety.
He urged every driver to remember that when a person dies in a road accident, the entire family loses its sole means of support.
Excerpts:
ETV Bharat (ETB): Why are road accidents more common in India compared to other countries?
DGP B Shivadhar Reddy (DGP): Our analysis shows that most accidents are caused by human error. Common violations include excessive speeding, overtaking from the left, and driving under the influence of alcohol. Simple precautions like wearing helmets or seatbelts could prevent many serious injuries. The rise in fatalities is largely due to ignoring these basic safety measures, which individuals must voluntarily follow.
ETB: Are systemic issues also contributing to the rise in accidents?
DGP: Road infrastructure has improved significantly over time. However, many places still lack proper signboards to guide drivers, especially where feeder roads join main highways. Speed breakers are also missing in these zones, causing vehicles to enter highways at high speeds and leading to collisions. We are identifying accident-prone areas and will install signboards and other safety measures accordingly.
ETB: What steps is the Police Department taking to reduce road accidents?
DGP: We launched the ‘Arrive Alive’ campaign to prevent accidents and raise awareness. Similar initiatives in the past have shown positive results. For example, road accident fatalities dropped by 16 per cent in the first three months of this year compared to the same period in 2025, from 2,102 to 1,770. Injuries have also decreased.
ETB: Why do traffic violations continue despite issuing challans?
DGP: Many people expect concessions or waivers on traffic fines, which encourages violations. To counter this, we have decided not to offer any concessions or waive challans this time. Chief Minister Revanth Reddy supports this strict approach, which is necessary to protect thousands of families from the tragedy of road accidents.
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