Odisha Launches ‘Zero Fatality Week’ Drive as Young Adults Make Up 66% of Deaths
Odisha will observe the first week of every month from September to March as ‘Zero Fatality Week’ after 66% of road accident deaths were linked to people aged 18-45, prompting stronger enforcement and safety measures.
The initiative comes amid growing concern over the human and economic cost of road crashes, particularly their impact on the young and working-age population. The government has called for coordinated enforcement, engineering measures and public awareness campaigns to reduce road accident fatalities.
Development Commissioner-cum-Additional Chief Secretary Deoranjan Kumar Singh, while reviewing the State’s road safety situation, directed officials to ensure that the campaign delivers measurable results on the ground. He called for strict enforcement of traffic laws, intensive checking drives, stringent action against violators, sustained public awareness and immediate correction of road engineering deficiencies.
Joint enforcement teams of the police and Regional Transport Offices will target key traffic violations, including speeding, drunk driving, riding without helmets, failure to wear seat belts, use of mobile phones while driving, wrong-side driving and traffic signal violations.
The government will also undertake immediate engineering interventions at identified black spots in coordination with the NHAI, Works and Rural Development departments. Repairing potholes and installing blinkers, signboards and crash barriers have been prioritised to make accident-prone stretches safer.
Emergency response mechanisms will be strengthened by keeping ambulances positioned near vulnerable and accident-prone stretches to ensure timely medical assistance during the critical ‘Golden Hour’ following a crash. The implementation of the PM Rahat Yojana will also be reviewed and publicised.
Districts recording higher accident rates, particularly those with mining and industrial activities and major national highway stretches, will receive special attention. Collectors and SPs have been directed to personally monitor road safety measures.
The Development Commissioner stressed that the initiative should go beyond the monthly seven-day campaign, with year-round awareness, sustained enforcement, technology-driven interventions and data-based monitoring aimed at significantly reducing road accident deaths.

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