15,712 dead, 14,143 injured
Motorbike crashes have killed 15,712 people and injured 14,143 others across Bangladesh in seven-and-a-half years, with young people accounting for 58 percent of the victims, according to a Road Safety Foundation (RSF) report published on Saturday.
The report, covering 2020 to July 2026, highlights reckless riding, collisions with heavy vehicles, weak enforcement and inadequate road infrastructure as major drivers of the country’s growing motorcycle safety crisis.
Heavy vehicles emerged as the biggest threat to motorbike riders, being involved in 6,314 accidents, or 39.30 percent of the total, the RSF report said.
A further 5,497 accidents, or 34.21 percent, occurred after motorbike riders lost control, while 3,548 accidents, or 22.08 percent, involved head-on collisions. Another 706 accidents, or 4.39 percent, occurred for other reasons.
The concentration of victims among younger people is particularly concerning, with 58 percent of those killed aged between 13 and 35, according to the report.
Goods-carrying vehicles-including trucks, covered vans, pickups, tractors, trolleys and lorries-were responsible for the largest share of motorcycle crashes, accounting for 6,481 incidents, or 40.34 percent.
Motorcycle riders themselves were solely responsible for 5,831 accidents, or 36.29 percent, while bus drivers were blamed for 2,164 incidents, or 13.47 percent.
Three-wheelers accounted for 4.55 percent of the accidents, while private cars, microbuses, ambulances and jeeps accounted for 2.72 percent.
Bicycles and rickshaws were responsible for 0.76 percent, and pedestrians for 1.84 percent.
Regional roads recorded the highest number of motorcycle accidents, with 6,689 incidents, or 41.63 percent of the total.
National highways accounted for 4,773 accidents, or 29.71 percent, followed by city roads with 2,646 accidents, or 16.47 percent. Rural roads accounted for 1,957 accidents, or 12.18 percent.
The RSF said motorcycles account for around 71 percent of all registered motor vehicles in Bangladesh, with a significant proportion operated by teenagers and young adults.
The report identified reckless riding, traffic-rule violations, weak enforcement of traffic laws, poor road infrastructure and inadequate awareness campaigns among the key factors behind motorcycle crashes.
It also pointed to a lack of technological monitoring, insufficient affordable public transport and severe traffic congestion.
According to the report, advertising strategies used by some motorcycle manufacturers and marketers can encourage young people to associate high-speed riding with excitement, potentially contributing to reckless driving.
It also warned that many bus and goods-laden vehicle drivers operate vehicles recklessly, increasing the risk of collisions with motorcycles.
Failure to use quality helmets was identified as another major factor contributing to deaths.
The report said motorcycles are around 30 times more vulnerable than four-wheeled vehicles, while inadequate access to convenient and affordable public transport and severe traffic congestion are encouraging more people to rely on motorcycles.
It noted that wearing a quality helmet can reduce the risk of death in a crash by 48 percent.
The RSF data show a broadly rising trend in motorcycle fatalities over the years.
Motorcycle crashes killed 1,463 people in 2020, rising to 2,214 in 2021 and 3,091 in 2022. The death toll stood at 2,487 in 2023, 2,609 in 2024 and 2,671 in 2025.
Up to July 2026, another 1,177 people had died in motorcycle crashes.
The RSF recommended introducing safety and monitoring technologies on motorcycles, making the use of quality helmets mandatory and ensuring strict enforcement of traffic laws.
It also called for road-safety awareness campaigns in educational institutions and safety-focused social media campaigns through the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC).
The report recommended changes to the language and presentation of motorcycle advertisements to discourage unsafe riding behaviour.
It further urged authorities to develop safer road infrastructure and introduce affordable, passenger-friendly public transport to reduce dependence on motorcycles.
