Thiruvananthapuram | Kerala Transport Minister K B Ganesh Kumar on Thursday said in Assembly that negligence by two-wheeler riders and pedestrians is a major factor contributing rise in road accidents.

Responding to a query raised by Mathew Kuzhalnadan MLA during the Question Hour in the Assembly on road safety, Ganesh Kumar said this.

"Many people walk on the road while talking on their mobile phones and fail to check for traffic before crossing," he said.

He suggested as a personal opinion that fines should be imposed on those who cross the roads while using mobile phones.

"For this the provisions of the Kerala Police Act should be amended," he said.

Minister said that while road accidents have increased this year compared to last year, the number of fatalities has declined.

"In 2022 there were 4,317 deaths which decreased to 4,080 in 2023, marking an 8.5 percent decline. In 2024 the number of fatalities further dropped to 3,746," he said.

He attributed the rise in accidents to substandard driving practices and negligence, adding that motorcycle riders are responsible for a significant share of the accidents.

The National Transportation Planning and Research Centre (NATPAC) has been conducting regular studies, identifying and rectifying black spots on both national and state highways, the minister said.

He added that the Kerala State Road Safety Authority (KRSA) has allocated funds for these efforts.

The minister emphasised the need to earmark funds for road safety right from the planning stage of road construction.

"This issue should be taken to the notice of the PWD Minister," he said.

Responding to another query raised by K K Rema MLA, the minister also attributed vehicle fires to a lack of technical knowledge among drivers.

"The technical operation of vehicles should be included as part of driver training," he said.