By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Sep 13: Meghalaya has recorded a grim tally of 529 deaths caused by reckless and drunken driving between 2021 and 2025, according to official figures tabled in the Assembly.
The data shows that reckless driving alone claimed 474 lives, while drunken driving accounted for 55 fatalities during this five-year span.
The district-wise breakdown reflects disturbing trends, with East Khasi Hills leading with 94 deaths from reckless driving, followed closely by West Garo Hills with 91 fatalities. Ri-Bhoi also emerged as a high-risk zone, reporting 109 deaths, including 28 in 2022 and 24 in 2024. Other districts such as West Jaintia Hills (30 deaths), East Jaintia Hills (29 deaths), and North Garo Hills (29 deaths) also contributed significantly to the toll.
Drunken driving, though relatively lower in numbers, remains a persistent concern.
East Khasi Hills alone reported 17 deaths linked to alcohol-impaired driving, with the highest single-year toll of six in 2021. South Garo Hills accounted for 12 deaths, while West Khasi Hills and West Garo Hills each reported seven fatalities during the period. South West Garo Hills and Ri-Bhoi also registered multiple cases, underlining that no district has been spared.
The yearly trends reveal fluctuations. Fatalities from reckless driving peaked in 2024 with 129 deaths, the highest in five years, before dropping to 73 in 2025.
Drunken driving deaths, on the other hand, were at their worst in 2021 with 23 fatalities, but declined thereafter, with only four cases reported in 2025.