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 larger metros. The data released by the Chandigarh Police highlighted a glaring gender gap - of the total fatalities, 51 were men and only four were women. Police officers say this could possibly be due to the higher chances of men being behind the wheel, riding two-wheelers, or walking along high-traffic corridors. The South-East zone -covering the Airport Light Point, Hallo Majra Light Point, and Poultry Farm Chowk- emerged as the deadliest stretch with 14 deaths, closely matched by the South-West zone, which also reported 14 fatalities in areas such as Dadumajra, Sectors 38-West, and Zirimandi Chowk. The East zone recorded 11 deaths, while the Central zone saw nine. The clustering of fatalities around entry points and high-speed corridors points to the dual challenge of heavy vehicular inflow and inadequate speed enforcement in the city. The victim profile reveals the vulnerability of non-motorised and low-speed commuters. As many as 21 two-wheeler and e-two-wheeler riders were killed, followed by 17 pedestrians and 7 cyclists. Two e-rickshaw pullers also lost their lives, while only one car occupant was reported dead. Notably, no fatalities involved buses or heavy vehicles this year so far. Together, pedestrians and cyclists formed nearly 50% of the total fatalities. "Most pedestrian deaths occur while crossing busy junctions where speeding vehicles dominate. Raised pedestrian crossings, better lighting, and designated zebra crossings can drastically reduce these fatalities," said Harpreet Singh, road safety expert. Late evenings and nights proved most dangerous for commuters. Between 9 pm and midnight, 10 deaths were recorded, and eight deaths occurred between midnight and 3 am. Traffic police link this pattern to speeding, drunk driving, and lower visibility during night hours, particularly on stretches that see less patrolling. The age distribution of victims further paints a grim picture. Thirteen deaths were reported in the 18-25 years age group, while 12 occurred among those aged 45-60 years. Eleven victims were aged between 35-45 years and seven were between 25-35 years. Two minors below 18 years also lost their lives, while elderly citizens above 60 years accounted for three deaths. This confirms that road crashes are striking hardest at the most productive age groups, causing not just a public safety crisis but also long-term social and economic consequences for families. The police data also shows that seven fatal crashes did not result in FIR registration....