Traffic Accident Characteristics of Kolkata

The rapid population growth and increasing economic activities have resulted in the tremendous growth of motor vehicles which is considered one of the primary factors responsible for increasing road accidents in many metropolitan cities of developing countries, including Kolkata, India. In this paper an assessment of the current level of road safety in Kolkata is made utilizing data obtained from secondary sources. The road safety level in Kolkata is assessed considering four parameters, namely, accident severity index, accident fatality rate, accident fatality risk and accident risk. The study is primarily confined to the accident characteristics of passenger vehicles in Kolkata. Models for the projection of future accidents in terms of total accidents and fatality and injury types of accidents have also been developed. These models can be used as tools to measure the effectiveness of future safety improvements implemented in the city.