Why are road accidents still the leading cause of deaths?

Road accidents in Bangladesh are still one of the leading causes of deaths as 19,000 people were killed in 26,000 accidents across the country in the last four years.

According to a report published in this newspaper on Sunday, in October this year, 437 people were killed in the country, one third of them were motorcycle riders.

Therefore, quick implementation of the Safe Road Act is the immediate demand of the time.

The people of the country have the simple wish that their loved ones return home safely at the end of the day.

But the anarchy and mismanagement have increased manifold. There is no stopping of accidents and casualties on the roads. The roads are now becoming more dangerous.

The report of the Red Safety Foundation has depicted a very alarming picture of road accidents and casualties in 2022.

According to statistics based on information published in the media, 6,548 people were killed in road accidents last year.

According to the Bangladesh Jatri Kalyan Samity (BJKS), road accidents increased by 19.89 per cent in 2022 compared to 2021.

And death has increased by 27.43 per cent. But the records simply remain on paper.

Accidents and deaths prevail due to the failure to adopt up-to-date policies to establish order on roads and lack of enforcement and monitoring of laws.

Each accident brings immense suffering to a family and creates a human crisis.

The dreams of thousands of families who lost their loved ones in the accident have turned into dust.

BJKS data shows that 51 per cent of those killed were sole wage earners in the family.

Experts from various research organizations, including BUET, revealed that heavy and fast moving vehicles like buses, trucks and light and slow vehicles like motorcycles-easybikes have been added to the public transport system on national and regional roads which increased the number of deaths in accidents in recent years.

According to a World Bank study, Bangladesh is at the top of the world in terms of deaths in motorcycle accidents.

Safe roads are a necessity for the country as they help protect the lives of individuals, prevent injuries and ensure smoother flow of traffic.

There has been enough discussion about what can be done to restore order.

But it remains limited to discussions. In order to reduce accidents and loss of lives, proper management must be ensured on the roads. And for this, political commitment is a must.