Corruption at Kerala’s RTOs is fuelling a road safety catastrophe

Over the two-year period ending in 2025, Kerala lost 7,613 lives in nearly one lakh road accidents—an average of 10 fatalities every day. In 2025 alone, the state recorded 49,889 accidents, resulting in 3,733 deaths. The SCRB’s Road Accident Analysis Report reveals that over-speeding caused 46% of fatalities, while critics argue corruption in RTOs weakens licensing and enforcement.