International Journal of Emerging Engineering Research and Technology

Volume 4, Issue 4, April 2016, PP 33-37

ISSN 2349-4395 (Print) & ISSN 2349-4409 (Online)

A Framework to Analyse Road Accident in Kanyakumari District

D. Allwin1, D. Sabin Deva Jerald2
1
Department of Civil Engineering, Noorul Islam University, Kumaracoil, India
2
Department of Civil Engineering, Wollega University, Nekemte, Ethiopia

ABSTRACT
Road accident has become hidden epidemic across the world and has posed a substantial health and economic
burden to many developing nations. An estimated average of 3,242 people killed daily due to road accidents
worldwide. In India as many as 1, 39,091 persons lost their life’s in 4, 40,042 road accidents in 2013 alone. The
study was carried in Kanyakumari district which is the southernmost district of the peninsular India. It covers an
area of 1,672 sq km. An average of 300 peoples was killed in the district each year. The accident acquired in the
district from 2009 to 2013 is analysed. The Accident details were obtained from District Crime Records Bureau
(DCRB), where they collected the details from the 41 police stations in the district. The problem in the district
was due to very acute in highway transportation due to complex flow pattern of intense vehicular traffic,
presence of mixed traffic along with pedestrians. An average of 3 persons was killed each year within 1.2 km
zone due to defective geometrical design. The ultimate aim of this study is to develop certain improvement
measures to mitigate the circumstances leading to road accidents in Kanyakumari district.
Keywords: Road Accident, Flow Pattern, Geometrical Design, Traffic

INTRODUCTION
The study has done in Kanyakumari district, which is the southernmost district of the peninsular India,
the seventh largest country in the world. In Kanyakumari, the Indian Ocean, the Arabian Sea and the
Bay of Bengal embrace one another. The total population of the district is 16, 69, 763. The density of
population was 999 per sq.km. The literacy rate of the district was 91.75%. The economy of this
district is agriculture-based. 68 percent of the district’s land was utilized for agricultural purposes.
The annual rainfall ranges between 90 and 160 cm and the average rainfall is 140 cm. The District
having the road network of 3495.8 Km surfaced roads. Averages of 300 people were killed in the
district each year in an approximate of 1300 road accidents every year. The traffic circulation pattern
of the district is of liner type. The problem in the district was due to very acute in highway
transportation due to complex flow pattern of intense vehicular traffic, presence of mixed traffic along
with pedestrians.
DATA SOURCE
Data on the accident details from the year 2009 to 2013 were obtained under special request for the
project purpose from the District Crime Records Bureau (DCRB) of Kanyakumari district which
comes under the control of Superintendent of police, Kanyakumari district. The DCRB receives the
accident data’s from the 41 police stations in the district.
TYPES OF ACCCIDENTS
Table.1 presents the scenario of accidents in the Kanyakumari district from the year 2009 to 2013, the
reduction in the total number of accidents from 1291 to 1223 was mainly due to reduction in minor,
non-injury and grievous accidents. The non injury accidents reduced from 18% in 2010 to 14% in
2013. On the other hand the fatal accidents which leads to death consequently increasing year by year
from 20% of fatal accidents in 2009 to 24% in 2013. This increase in the fatal accidents was the same
story even from the last two decades.
*Address for correspondence:
winniu@ymail.com
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 D. Allwin & D. Sabin Deva Jerald “A Framework to Analyse Road Accident in Kanyakumari District”
Table1. Types of accidents in Kanyakumari district
YE AR FA TA L G RI E V IO U S M INO R NO N- I NJ U RY TO T AL
2009 249 219 758 65 1291
2010 263 220 696 42 1221
2011 282 182 709 41 1214
2012 282 166 759 49 1256
2013 290 173 704 56 1223
ACCIDENT SEVERITY INDEX
The accident severity index measures the severity of the accidents and the availability of medical
facilities in that area. Accident severity index is defined as the number of people killed in 100
accidents. Figure 1 show the accident severity index of for Kanyakumari district which is relatively
very high. In 2009 the accident severity index was 20.6 where the accident severity index in 2013 was
increased to 24.5. This shows that the persons killed per 100 accidents was increasing every year.
Also the accident severity index of 24.5 is comparatively very higher rate. Moreover, the high level of
accident severity index may also be a result of poor data collection and its reporting process. Because
number of non injury and minor accidents where not entered in the police records.

Figure1. Accident Severity Index Graph (Persons Killed Per 100 Accidents)
ACCIDENTS BY VARIOUS VEHICLES
Death percentage of motorcyclists in all road accident fatalities is very high in Kanyakumari district.
Figure 2 shows during recent years, motorcyclists constitute more than 40% of all road accident
fatalities. More than 100 motor cycle users killed due to road accidents every year. Motor cycle
fatalities contribute more than 35% of the road accidental death of Kanyakumari district and in the
highest risks. Besides motorcyclists bus passengers, car occupants and truck or tempo occupants
accounts higher percentage of accidents. Consequently the fatality rate for bus accidents is 18.6% and
the fatality by car is 11.6% and the fatality by Trucks and tempo is 10.5% respectively, determined by
the mean of all the summation of the accidents in the individual years from 2009 to 2013.
The number of accidents occurred by different types of vehicles from 2009-2013 was shown in Figure
2. The accident caused by motor cycle is very high as compared to other vehicles. Motor cycle plays a
vital role in road accidents. On seeing about other vehicles bus is also other main sources of accidents.
The next source of accident is by motor cars. Nowadays there are more number of motor cars are
registering year by year. This is the main source of motor car accidents. Comparing to tempo and
truck, Tempo has faced large number of accidents. Tempos carry heavy loads so it has more chances
to cause accidents. Following the tempo truck is also a source of accident maker. Comparing the
accidents caused by tempo the accident caused by truck is less. Small size vehicles like auto also
faced facing these types of problems like accidents. But the accident rate is less as compared to large
vehicles. The tourist vehicle like taxi also faces these kinds of problems. Comparing to all other
vehicles like motor cycle, bus, motor car, truck, tempo, auto the accident caused by taxi is less.
34 International Journal of Emerging Engineering Research and Technology V4 ● I4 ●April 2016
 D. Allwin & D. Sabin Deva Jerald “A Framework to Analyse Road Accident in Kanyakumari District”

2009
2010
2011
600
2012
500
Number of Accidents

2013
400

300

200

100

Type of Vehicle

Figure2. No of Accidents by Various Vehicles

ACCIDENT CLASSIFIED ACCORDING TO TIME

6-am
5-am10 7-am
4-am 8-am
3-am 8 9-am
2-am 6 10-am 2013
4
1-am 11-am 2012
2
12-am 0 12-am 2011
2010
11-pm 1-pm
2009
10-pm 2-pm
9-pm 3-pm
8-pm 4-pm
7-pm 5-pm
6-pm
Figure3. Accident Intensity by Time
Figure 3 shows the percentage of accident by time. The rate of accident is very less in early morning
around 12:00 am to 6:00 am .After that the accident is slightly increased at the time of 7:00 am to 1:00
pm. The increase in accident is due to the transportation crowd of people from one place to another
because of going to college, job, school etc. From 2:00 pm to 7:00 pm the accident is very much
higher which is due to the leaving from college, job and school etc. Particularly at the time of 2:00 pm
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 D. Allwin & D. Sabin Deva Jerald “A Framework to Analyse Road Accident in Kanyakumari District”
and 7:00pm because of high crowd of people returning home from where they have gone at morning
job, school etc. So, it clearly shows more number of accidents were happened at afternoon and
evening. And less number of accidents is happened at morning. This may because in mornings the
drivers may feel very enthusiastic and active.
ACCIDENT DISTRIBUTION BY MONTH
Figure 4 shows in the year 2009 month of May have faced more number of accidents. March and
April has same number of accidents. Then August and January has less number of accidents. June,
July, February has almost equal accidents at the end of the year September, October, November has
very less amount of accidents and the last month December has again increased. This clearly shows
that the month of May and March has large number of accidents. In 2010, May and March months
have faced more number of accidents. And next to May and March the months of January, June,
August, October and November has less accident rates as compared to May and March. Finally the
months like February, April, July, September and December has very less number of accident rates of
the year. In 2011, May and December have faced more number of accidents. And the months of
January, March, June, July, August and November has almost equal number of accidents. And at the
end of the year, months like February, April, September and October has faced very less number of
accidents rates of the year. In 2012 and 2013, the highest no of accidents occur in months like
December, May and June. The accidents are slightly less in the months like July, August, September
and October. In this year less number of accidents are occur in January, February, March, April, and
November.
In general the accidents are higher in the months of May. A percentage of about 10.68% accidents
acquired where in November about only 5.18% accidents were acquired. This may due to the number
of school and college students who uses the road was high because of the vacation. Some medical
studies show this may because of the intense heat in the summer time.
Accident Intensity

2013
2012
2011
2010
2009

jan feb mar apri may june july august sept oct nov dec

Month
Figure4. Accident Intensity by Month
ACCIDENT DISTRIBUTION BY NATURE OF ACCIDENTS
Figure 5 shows the accident by nature of accidents. In Kanyakumari district more number of accidents
occurs by head on collision. The main reason for head on collision is overtaking vehicles in turnings.
The other factors like overturning, skidding, right turn collision, hit and run are comparatively low.
The head on collision can be reduced by the attitude of drivers the quality of roads. The solutions for
drivers are shown below super elevation, by giving proper signals while overtaking, avoid over
loading of vehicles like tempo or lorry. The solutions for the road is by maintaining proper road width
and shoulder width on the side of the road, good site distance by the road must be visible to the driver,
and breaking site distance is also maintained.
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 D. Allwin & D. Sabin Deva Jerald “A Framework to Analyse Road Accident in Kanyakumari District”

1200

No of Accidents 1000

800

600

400

200

0
Overturning Head on Skidding Right Turn Hit and run others
Collision Collision

Nature of Accidents

Figure5. Nature of Accidents

CONCLUSION
Road accidents cannot be totally prevented, but with proper environmental, engineering, and by social
interventions it can be minimized to a higher levels. This study gives a clear outline about the road
accident problems in Kanyakumari district. Also this study gives the point of view in order to develop
improvement measures to mitigate the circumstances leading to road accidents in Kanyakumari
district.
REFERENCES
[1] Saija, K.K., Patel, C.D., Sureja, G.K. (2000). Spectrum analysis of road accidents.“Indian
Highways” 28: pp.29-41.
[2] Shrinivas, P.L.L. (2004). Studies undertaken to identify critical causes of accidents in the
highways of Tamil Nadu. “Indian Highways” 31: pp.11-22.
[3] Road Accident Details in Kanyakumari District. (2013). District Crime Records Bureau.
[4] Shaheem, S.,Mohammed, K.M.S., Rajeevan. (2006). Evaluation of cost effectiveness of
improvements of accident prone locations on NH-47 in Kerala state.“Indian Highways” 34:
pp.35-46.
[5] Mondal, P., Dalela, S., Balasubramanian, N., Sharma, G.K., Singh, R. (2008). Critical Analysis
of Road Crashes and a Case Study of Wet Road Condition and Road Crashes in an Indian
Metropolitan City.SAE paper no. 2008-28-0078.
AUTHORS’ BIOGRAPHY
D.Allwin, received his B.E in Civil Engineering from Nanded University,
Maharashtra and M.E in Hydrology and Water Resources Engineering from College
of Engineering, Guindy. He is now working as an Assistant Professor in
Department of Civil Engineering at Noorul Islam University, Kumaracoil. His
research interests include Groundwater Modelling, Fluid Dynamics and
Geophysical Analysis.

D.Sabin Deva Jerald, received his B.E in Civil Engineering and M.E in
Construction Engineering and Management from Anna University in 2008 and 2010
respectively. He is now working as an Assistant Professor in Department of Civil
Engineering in Wollega University, Ethiopia.

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