Coimbatore City Police said zig-zag barriers installed at accident-prone black spots have helped reduce fatal road accidents by 27 percent between January and April 2026.
Coimbatore:
Coimbatore City Traffic Police have reported a significant reduction in fatal road accidents following the installation of zig-zag barriers at accident-prone black spots across the city.
The initiative was introduced to control overspeeding and force motorists to slow down at critical locations identified for frequent accidents. According to traffic police officials, excessive speed remains the primary reason behind most fatal road accidents in urban areas.
Statistics released by the department show that between January 1 and April 30, 2025, Coimbatore recorded 118 fatal accidents resulting in 120 deaths. During the same period in 2026, after the installation of zig-zag barriers, fatal accidents reduced to 87 and the number of deaths dropped to 88, marking an overall decline of around 27 percent.
Coimbatore City Traffic Deputy Commissioner S Ashok Kumar said the barriers were installed at 64 major accident-prone locations after studying accident data from previous years.
“Many motorists treat long straight city roads like highways and travel at high speeds. Nearly 90 percent of accidents are linked to overspeeding. These zig-zag barriers force drivers to slow down and carefully navigate through the curved path, thereby reducing vehicle momentum and impact force,” he explained.
Under this system, heavy iron barricades are placed in a staggered pattern instead of a straight line, forcing vehicles to move in an ‘S’-shaped path rather than speeding through directly. Police officials said this method has proven effective in reducing both the number and severity of accidents.
Though some motorists initially complained about increased travel time and inconvenience, police officials maintained that the slight delay is insignificant when compared to saving human lives.
Taxi driver from Selvapuram said motorists faced some difficulty during the initial days but gradually adapted to the new arrangement. “On Nanjundapuram Road, where accidents were frequent earlier, the number of crashes has come down considerably after these barriers were installed,” he said.
Another motorist, J Pradeep from Podanur, pointed out that the barricades are sometimes difficult to notice during night hours and a few vehicles have collided with them. However, he described the overall initiative as an effective life-saving measure.
Encouraged by the results, Coimbatore Traffic Police are now considering expanding the zig-zag barrier system to secondary roads and school zones across the city.
Coimbatore City Traffic Police have reported a significant reduction in fatal road accidents following the installation of zig-zag barriers at accident-prone black spots across the city.
The initiative was introduced to control overspeeding and force motorists to slow down at critical locations identified for frequent accidents. According to traffic police officials, excessive speed remains the primary reason behind most fatal road accidents in urban areas.
Statistics released by the department show that between January 1 and April 30, 2025, Coimbatore recorded 118 fatal accidents resulting in 120 deaths. During the same period in 2026, after the installation of zig-zag barriers, fatal accidents reduced to 87 and the number of deaths dropped to 88, marking an overall decline of around 27 percent.
Coimbatore City Traffic Deputy Commissioner S Ashok Kumar said the barriers were installed at 64 major accident-prone locations after studying accident data from previous years.
“Many motorists treat long straight city roads like highways and travel at high speeds. Nearly 90 percent of accidents are linked to overspeeding. These zig-zag barriers force drivers to slow down and carefully navigate through the curved path, thereby reducing vehicle momentum and impact force,” he explained.
Under this system, heavy iron barricades are placed in a staggered pattern instead of a straight line, forcing vehicles to move in an ‘S’-shaped path rather than speeding through directly. Police officials said this method has proven effective in reducing both the number and severity of accidents.
Though some motorists initially complained about increased travel time and inconvenience, police officials maintained that the slight delay is insignificant when compared to saving human lives.
Taxi driver from Selvapuram said motorists faced some difficulty during the initial days but gradually adapted to the new arrangement. “On Nanjundapuram Road, where accidents were frequent earlier, the number of crashes has come down considerably after these barriers were installed,” he said.
Another motorist, J Pradeep from Podanur, pointed out that the barricades are sometimes difficult to notice during night hours and a few vehicles have collided with them. However, he described the overall initiative as an effective life-saving measure.
Encouraged by the results, Coimbatore Traffic Police are now considering expanding the zig-zag barrier system to secondary roads and school zones across the city.