Majority of drivers have some form of visual impairment

Approximately 76 per cent of professional drivers across various regions in the country, including Dhaka, have been identified as working with various eye conditions that impair their vision.

These findings emerged from a recent eye examination programme initiated by the government in collaboration with non-governmental organisations earlier this month.

In January 2019, a survey was conducted involving 500 bus and truck drivers at eight terminals in the capital, revealing that 70.4 per cent of them acknowledged experiencing visual complications. Out of 339 drivers, or 76 per cent, were diagnosed with various vision-related problems.

Additionally, the team examined 393 professional drivers at the same locations, with 190 found to have smoking-related health issues, 112 with above-normal blood sugar levels, and 79 with blood pressure-related conditions.

To obtain a driving license, individuals are required to submit their medical reports. Presently, authorities are contemplating the inclusion of visual assessments for professional drivers during the license renewal process.

However, beyond these preliminary measures, there is a growing consensus that a sustained government initiative is imperative to regularly monitor the vision of active drivers.

The Road Transport Rules of 2022, which were formulated in December of the previous year under the Road Transport Act of 2018, provide authorities with the ability to enforce penalties for traffic rule violations through a point-based system.

According to this system, each driver holding a BRTA license will be subject to monitoring within a 12-point system, where a loss of eight points will result in a license suspension.

In the event that a driver exhausts all 12 points, their license will be revoked.

There are more than five lakh vehicles operating without proper fitness, and nearly 30 per cent of all registered vehicles in the country have been decommissioned.

National Safe Road Day 2023 is slated to be commemorated with a range of activities, including the publication of special newspaper supplements, rallies, panel discussions, banner installations, leaflet distribution, and television talk shows held across the nation.