Every year 1.19 million road users are killed in road crashes worldwide
Staff Reporter
According to the World Health Organization, about 1.19 million road users are killed in road crashes globally every year.
This information was shared by Sharmeen Rahman, Road Safety Project Coordinator of Dhaka Ahsania Mission, at a media briefing titled “Road Safety Law is Essential for All” held on Sunday (22 June) in city’s the Dhaka Ahsania Mission Health Sector office, Shyamoli.
Focusing the importance of the Road Safety Law, key speaker Sharmeen Rahman further stated that 92% of global road crash deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries, and more than half of these fatalities involve pedestrians, cyclists, and motorcyclists. According to the World Health Ranking, Bangladesh ranks 106th among 183 countries most affected by road crashes. She emphasized that without the formulation and proper implementation of a road safety law, it is not possible to reduce or prevent road crashes in the country. With the right legislation and its effective enforcement, road crashes—which are currently a major issue—can be significantly reduced. Therefore, a comprehensive and inclusive Road Safety Law is essential for all.
At the event, moderated by Suvro Deb, Senior Crime Reporter of the Daily Manab Zamin, a discussion was held on the importance of enacting a Road Safety Law to strengthen road safety. The speakers included Muhammad Jahangir Alam, General Secretary of the Shipping and Communication Reporters Forum (SCRF) and Special Correspondent at UNB; Jamiul Ahsan Shipu, Senior Reporter at the Daily Ittefaq; and Imon Rahman, Staff Crime Reporter at the Daily Jugantor.
The speakers stated that while the Road Transport Act 2018 and its associated regulations primarily address the transport sector, they are not sufficient to ensure comprehensive road safety. Critical issues such as road infrastructure and vehicle safety, protection of road users (especially vulnerable users), and post-crash management and medical response have not been given adequate emphasis in the current framework. Therefore, a separate and dedicated Road Safety Law is necessary to address all aspects of safety on the roads.
In the event, Muklesur Rahman, Deputy Director of the Health Sector at Dhaka Ahsania Mission, stated that the existing Road Transport Act 2018 and Road Transport Rules 2022 in Bangladesh are primarily transport-focused laws. As such, they are not sufficient to ensure safer roads or to effectively reduce road crashes. He emphasized the implementation and formulation of a comprehensive Road Safety Law which is urgently needed, taking into account the five key areas recommended by the United Nations: multi-modal transport and land-use planning; safe vehicles; safe road infrastructure; safe road users; and effective post-crash response and management.