Inclusion of Road Safety Education in the National Curriculum is Essential

Bangladesh is steadily progressing from a developing nation toward becoming a developed and smart country.

Massive infrastructure projects such as expressways, flyovers, the metro rail, the Karnaphuli Tunnel, the Padma Bridge, and numerous other mega projects have significantly transformed the country’s transportation system.

However, despite these remarkable developments, one major concern continues to persist: road safety.

Every day, road crashes across the country claim numerous lives, leave many people permanently disabled, and push countless families into financial hardship and emotional distress.

An analysis of road crashes reveals that defective vehicles or poor road design are not the only causes. A lack of awareness is one of the primary contributing factors.

Pedestrians, drivers, passengers, and even students often have insufficient knowledge of basic road safety rules.

Many people are unfamiliar with the importance of obeying traffic signals, using zebra crossings and footbridges, wearing helmets and seat belts, respecting speed limits, and responding appropriately in emergency situations.

Therefore, strict enforcement of traffic laws alone cannot ensure long-term road safety. What is needed is systematic road safety education from an early age.

Many developed countries realized long ago that creating a safe road environment begins with educating responsible citizens.

Consequently, road safety education has been incorporated into the school curriculum from the primary level in many countries.

Students receive practical lessons on traffic regulations, safe road-crossing techniques, bicycle safety, traffic hazards, and civic responsibility.

As they grow up, they become law-abiding citizens who prioritize both their own safety and the safety of others.

Bangladesh should adopt a similar approach without delay. Introducing compulsory road safety education at the primary, secondary, and higher secondary levels would help students develop safe road-use habits from an early age.

Merely adding a chapter to a textbook is not enough. Practical exercises, training sessions conducted with the participation of traffic police, mock road-crossing activities, school-based awareness programs, and regular assessments should all be integrated to ensure effective implementation.

When children learn from an early age how to cross roads safely, understand the meaning of traffic signals, appreciate why wearing a helmet is mandatory while riding motorcycles, and recognize the dangers of risky behavior on the road, they become more than just informed individuals.

They also influence their families and communities.

A single child can inspire an entire family, and families together can help build a nationwide culture of road safety.

Today’s students are tomorrow’s drivers, engineers, administrators, teachers, public representatives, and policymakers.

Equipping them with road safety knowledge and values today means laying the foundation for a safer Bangladesh tomorrow.

Road safety education is not merely about achieving good examination results; it is about saving lives. If proper education enables a student to prevent even one road crash, its value far exceeds any academic achievement.

Modern technology can make road safety education more engaging and effective. Videos, animations, virtual simulations, traffic safety games, quizzes, and case studies can help students understand road safety in an interactive manner.

Schools may also establish Road Safety Club (RSC) to encourage student leadership.

Through rallies, awareness campaigns, poster competitions, debates, and educational activities, students can make road safety an integral part of their daily lives.

Qualified teachers are essential for effective instruction. Therefore, specialized road safety modules should be incorporated into teacher training programs.

In addition, traffic police, the Roads and Highways Department, the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA), the Fire Service and Civil Defence, the Directorate General of Health Services, and other experts should be involved in practical training sessions.

Every educational institution should observe an annual Road Safety Week to further strengthen awareness among students.

Many countries around the world have already made road safety education an integral part of their national education systems.

In Japan, children receive practical road safety training from an early age through collaboration between schools and local authorities.

Sweden’s internationally acclaimed Vision Zero strategy is built upon fostering responsible road behavior among citizens.

Similarly, the United Kingdom, Australia, Singapore, and several other countries have successfully integrated road safety education into their school curricula.

Their experiences clearly demonstrate that improved awareness significantly reduces road crashes and saves lives.

In Bangladesh, Nirapad Sarak Chai (NISCHA) and several other social organizations have been working tirelessly for many years to promote road safety.

Through seminars, awareness campaigns, rallies, human chains, and educational programs in schools and colleges, these organizations have played a vital role in raising public awareness.

However, to ensure sustainable progress, close coordination among the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges, BRTA, law enforcement agencies, educational institutions, and civil society organizations is essential.

Parental involvement is equally important. Children may learn road safety rules at school, but if parents themselves ignore traffic laws by riding motorcycles without helmets, boarding moving buses, or violating traffic regulations, children are likely to imitate such unsafe behavior.

Therefore, schools should also organize awareness programs for parents to reinforce responsible road safety practices at home.

Road crashes impose enormous economic costs on Bangladesh every year. Medical expenses, loss of productivity, permanent disabilities, and the financial collapse of affected families all create a significant burden on the national economy.

Every road fatality represents not only the loss of a life but also the destruction of a family’s hopes and dreams.

Investment in road safety education should therefore be regarded as an investment in the nation’s future rather than an additional expense.

The Government of Bangladesh continues to implement numerous projects aimed at developing a modern and efficient transportation system.

Alongside physical infrastructure, equal emphasis must be placed on developing responsible human behavior.

Effective law enforcement, high-quality road infrastructure, professionally trained drivers, and comprehensive public education must work together to achieve meaningful reductions in road crashes.

Making road safety education compulsory in the national curriculum is no longer an option but a necessity. It is an education that protects lives.

By instilling road safety values in children from an early age, Bangladesh can nurture a future generation of responsible, law-abiding, and compassionate citizens.

Achieving safer roads requires the collective efforts of the government, educational institutions, families, civil society organizations, and every citizen.

Road safety is not solely the responsibility of the government; it is both a fundamental right and a shared responsibility.

If we can provide today’s students with quality road safety education, tomorrow’s Bangladesh will be safer, more disciplined, and more humane.

To build a road crash-free Bangladesh, the inclusion of road safety education in the national curriculum has become an urgent national priority.

(The writer: Teacher, Poet ,Columnist, Social Worker , Organizer Founding President, Bangladesh Government Secondary Teachers’ Association (Agriculture), Central Committee, Joint Secretary General, Nirapad Sarak Chai (NISCHA), Central Committee Email: lionganibabul@gmail.com)