Kozhikode-Malappuram stretch sees rise in fatal accidents, sparks alarm

Four members of a family died after a car collided with a van in Vadakara on Sunday

- POOJA NAIR @Kozhikode

THE Kozhikode-Malappuram stretch of National Highway 66 continues to witness a disturbing pattern of fatal accidents, with reckless disregard for traffic norms emerging as the primary cause, according to local police authorities.

The latest tragedy that shocked the region was the accident in Vadakara on Sunday, where four members of a family lost their lives after a private car collided with a van.

Police officials investigating the incident stated that the accident is a grim example of what they describe as a growing issue: vehicles entering the highway from local access roads without adhering to basic traffic protocols. "Most of these collisions are not due to technical failures or even speeding alone," a senior traffic officer said. "It's the utter neglect of highway right-of-way rules and sudden, unsignaled entries from local roads that create disaster."