'Mumbai roads are more prone to accidents during monsoon'

A study on road mishaps in Mumbai has revealed that the city's roads are more prone to accidents during the monsoon as motorists were unable to adjust to the new conditions.

The study, which was conducted by an automobile giant, claimed that the city saw 569 more accidents during the monsoon last year, when compared with 2014.

Last year, between June and September, 7,911 accidents happened in various parts of the city. In 2014, 7,342 accidents occurred during the same period. The reason for this disturbing pattern, the study claimed, was that motorists were unable to adjust to the changing road conditions during the first few showers.

According to traffic police, poor visibility also caused accidents. "The biggest reason for the rise in number of accidents during the monsoon is poor visibility. In such conditions, the inter-vehicle distance must be more than the usual, but unfortunately, it doesn't happen and this results in accidents," said joint commissioner (traffic) Milind Bharambhe. "Motorists must keep their windscreen and side mirrors clear for better visibility," he said.