Mumbai, Feb. 13 -- With 77% of road accident deaths in Maharashtra involving two-wheeler riders and pedestrians, the state transport department has decided to launch a dedicated campaign to curb such cases, aiming to reduce road accident deaths by over 50% by 2030, according to officials. The campaign, titled "Save Two-Wheeler Riders and Pedestrians in 2026", was launched following a road safety review meeting held in the last week of January. During the meeting, accident data from across the state was analysed and several measures were finalised to bring down fatalities. The transport department has since directed all regional transport offices (RTOs) to immediately implement the new instructions. One of the instructions is to ensure that two-wheeler riders without helmets are not allowed to cross toll booths. "Generally, there is free entry for two-wheelers at toll plazas. The left lane at toll plazas is reserved for two-wheelers. At these places, signs stating 'No helmet, no entry' will be prominently displayed on both sides of all toll plazas. Radar-based interceptor vehicles will be used for its enforcement at these locations," said an official from the transport department. State transport commissioner Vivek Bhimanwar issued these directions to all RTOs in a letter dated February 11. According to provisional data cited in the letter, 36,450 road accidents were reported in Maharashtra in 2025. "About 15,549 citizens have died, while more than 32,147 citizens have been injured. Notably, 57% of the total deaths are of two-wheeler riders, and 21% of deaths are of pedestrians. A goal has been set to reduce the number of deaths in road accidents by more than 50% by 2030," stated the letter, a copy of which is with Hindustan Times. The transport department will also map accident-prone and vulnerable spots on arterial roads, as well as state and national highways, over the past three years. "Information of accident spots of the last three years will be plotted on Google Maps and compared to assess the severity of accident-affected areas," said another official. Officials said that helmets will be made mandatory on the three major national or state highways in districts where the highest number of two-wheeler accidents occur, while other accident-prone roads will be covered subsequently. "Causes of accidents will be studied and analysed in depth. Where pedestrian accidents occur, flaws in road engineering, like unauthorised cutting of dividers, lack of footpaths, other roads connecting to the highway incorrectly, and geographical conditions, will be identified and remedial measures will be taken," said an RTO official. Steps to improve pedestrian safety in crowded areas will include painting zebra crossings, installing protective fencing to prevent unsafe road crossings, constructing foot over-bridges and subways, and installing traffic signal systems, officials said. RTOs will also focus on conducting driving licence tests under camera surveillance. Officials noted that around 30% of applicants currently fail driving tests, and motor vehicle inspectors at RTOs have been asked to maintain this number....