1 Out of 2 Traffic Offences in Mumbai Involve Two-Wheelers: 2024 Data Reveals Deepening Road Safety Crisis

If you've found yourself held up behind a zigzagging scooter or weaving in and out of a bike lane, then you're not alone, and the numbers prove it. In a telling glimpse of Mumbai’s traffic jam scenario, two-wheelers accounted for over 30 lakh challans in the first half of 2024, nearly 60 per cent of total traffic violations, according to figures released by the Mumbai Traffic Police and reported in The Times of  India.

Behind the Numbers: Volume and Behaviour-Driven Offences

From riding without helmets to rampant wrong-side driving, Mumbai’s bikers have emerged as the biggest rule-breakers on the city’s roads. And with over 5 crore vehicles on Mumbai roads, of which two-wheelers make up over 70 per cent, this statistic is as much about volume as it is about behaviour.

• Riding without helmets
• Driving against traffic
• Jumping red lights
• Riding without valid licences
• Entry into no-entry or restricted zones

In 2024, helmet violations alone crossed 3.18 lakh, while over 2.87 lakh cases were booked for riding without a valid licence. These aren't isolated instances; they form a consistent trend across Delhi’s arterial and residential roads.

High-Tech Enforcement, Low Compliance

To combat this crisis, the Mumbai Traffic Police has augmented the use of technology by deploying AI cameras, ANPR, and e-challan systems. These have restricted the scope for corruption and manual intervention. Though issuance is now effective, collection is a point of concern.

Over 94 per cent of traffic challans issued in 2024 were outstanding, official statistics reveal. Of nearly 74.5 lakh challans and notices, only a fraction were paid. The majority of drivers, it is alleged, delay payment till Lok Adalat hearings, where fines are cut down. Others simply ignore them due to the lack of rigorous follow-up action. 

How Other Indian Cities Performed in 2024

Mumbai is not singular in confronting the issue of two-wheeler traffic offences. In other large Indian metros, the same trends have been noted, each with its own enforcement nature, offender profile, and compliance problem. 

Delhi Traffic Police Issued Over 74 Lakh Challans in 2024

 Delhi Traffic Police issued a total of 23.09 lakh on-the-spot challans and 51.41 lakh camera-generated violation notices in 2024, amounting to over 74 lakh traffic enforcement actions citywide, according to Delhi Police data accessed by The Economic Times. These generated revenue of over ₹46 crore. 

According to a report by The Financial Express, among the most common violations across vehicles are:

• Riding without a helmet: over 3.18 lakh cases
• Improper/obstructive parking: around 4.19 lakh challans
• PUC (Pollution Under Control Certificate) lapses: nearly 3.73 lakh cases
• Driving without a valid licence: over 2.08 lakh incidents

Bengaluru: High Fines, Low Deterrence

 In Bengaluru, there was one bad case that hit the headlines when a two-wheeler motorbike rider racked up ₹2.91 lakh in fines for committing 475 offences. Riding without helmets, wrong-side driving, and jumping red lights were some of the most common offences, quoted in a report by the New Indian Express.

At the national level, the same report said Karnataka had lakhs of unpaid challans despite the city utilising ANPR cameras and the very same Delhi e-challan system. Low deterrence reasons named by officials are weak legal enforcement and meagre follow-up action. 

Noida & Gurugram: NCR Echo Chamber

 In Noida, enforced targeting in the early months of 2024 led to over ₹3 lakh worth of fines imposed in one month for helmet violations alone. Gurugram traffic police issue about 4,500 challans daily, targeting visibly two-wheelers entering 'no-go' zones or plying at high speeds, according to a report in TOI.

Still, the NCR region as a whole reflects Delhi’s pattern, robust issuance but poor fine recovery, thanks to complex portals, weak legal coercion, and reliance on Lok Adalats.

India-Wide View: ₹12,000 Crore in Fines, ₹9,000 Crore Unpaid

 According to a 2024 Cars24 report:

• India issued over 8 crore challans in 2024. 
• The total penalty amount stood at ₹12,000 crore.

But ₹9,000 crore is still pending, a stark indicator of a system problem in the collection of fines from states. Four-wheelers accounted for 55 per cent of all challans, and two-wheelers accounted for nearly 45 per cent.