Chandigarh, Sept. 5 -- Road crashes in the city have claimed 55 lives and left 81 injured till August 19 this year, an increase from last year's count of 48 deaths during the corresponding period, data compiled by the Chandigarh Police has revealed.

The rise in fatalities points to a troubling reality - while the city has a compact road network and extensive traffic monitoring system, high-risk driving behaviour combined with unsafe conditions for vulnerable commuters continues to fuel fatalities.

The Road Accidents Report-2023, recently released by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, revealed that Chandigarh recorded a severity index of 36 deaths per 100 crashes, placing the city at a higher risk for fatalities compared to lar...