Kozhikode district is currently witnessing a troubling rise in road rage incidents, many of which have involved alarming levels of violence. This concerning trend has prompted calls for swift and decisive action from both the police and other enforcement agencies. Reports from across the city and rural areas clearly indicate that what begin as minor disagreements on the road are increasingly spiraling into brutal physical altercations.
A particularly shocking recent incident occurred at Kallummel, near Valayam. A family traveling in a car reportedly had a minor brush with an SUV. In response, a group of approximately 15 individuals allegedly intercepted the SUV, forcibly removed the driver and his family, and proceeded to assault them. Tragically, a seven-month-old infant, also in the car, suffered a minor eye injury due to a broken windshield during the attack.
Just a few kilometers from that same location, another distressing incident saw a family en route to a wedding reportedly attacked. Police have since registered a case, identifying ten individuals as accused. More recent events further underscore the escalating problem, including the assault of a civil defense member in Naduvattam and the arrest of a private bus driver caught operating his vehicle under the influence of ganja.
A Deputy Superintendent of Police, who has been involved in numerous traffic improvement initiatives in Kozhikode, commented, “These incidents highlight a larger problem of deteriorating road discipline.” He noted that common triggers include aggression following minor bumps, the involvement of bystanders, retaliatory group actions, and driving while impaired. A significant challenge for law enforcement, he added, is the frequent lack of clear and digital evidence regarding the exact cause of these confrontations.
While positive news comes from the State Crime Records Bureau, confirming a notable decrease in overall road accident fatalities across Kerala (a 10% decline compared to 2023), officials reveal a contrasting and alarming trend: a dangerous surge in road rage incidents. Comprehensive data on these cases is expected to be released soon, paving the way for targeted interventions.
“Numerous private buses are currently under close observation, and we are intensifying our field operations,” stated a senior officer from the Motor Vehicles Department’s Road Safety Enforcement squad. He emphasized, however, that legal measures alone cannot effectively resolve the situation without active public cooperation.
Officials from the State-level Road Accident Action Forum highlighted that upgrades to surveillance infrastructure, such as security cameras, are still incomplete in many high-risk areas throughout the state. They also noted that drivers of both public and private transportation often operate with insufficient oversight, leading to slow response times during incidents.
Manoj Babu, a retired Traffic Police Officer from Kozhikode city, who played a key role in several successful traffic management projects, lamented, “A comprehensive strategy, involving collaboration between various enforcement agencies and civic authorities, is crucial to tackle road rage. Unfortunately, such a roadmap is still lacking.” He concluded that the escalating traffic volume and urban demands necessitate a complete re-evaluation of current enforcement approaches and the implementation of more effective preventive measures.