Bhubaneswar, Mar 13: Road accidents are on the rise in Odisha. In the last five years, an average of 11,366 accidents have happened a year. As many as 5,433 people have lost their lives annually.

Commerce and Transport Minister Bibhuti Bhusan Jena informed the State Assembly today. The Minister said that the number of accidents is increasing due to the increase in the number of vehicles and violation of road safety rules. Ironically, in the month of road safety alone, 848 accidents took place, killing 505 people and injuring 472 others. The minister said the State government has spent Rs 1.89 crore on spreading awareness on road safety rules. A total of 12,052 road accidents were reported in 2023. The death toll stood at 5,696. Sundargarh district reported the highest number of deaths at 448. A total of 55,580 road accidents were reported between 2019 and 2023.