Serious road crashes continuing, lacking attention

Staff Reporter :
Despite the alarming frequency of road accidents claiming numerous lives each month, the issue continues to persist without receiving adequate attention.

According to statistics from the Passenger Welfare Association of Bangladesh, a total of 733 accidents occurred on roads, railways, and waterways, resulting in 763 deaths and 2,472 injuries.

Road accidents alone claimed the lives of 708 individuals, while 2,426 others suffered varying degrees of injuries in 683 reported incidents across the nation.

In other routes, 47 people were killed and 36 injured in 44 railway accidents. On waterways, eight people were killed in six accidents, with 10 injured and one missing.

Among the victims were not only drivers and passengers but also pedestrians, law enforcement personnel, and innocent bystanders, highlighting the indiscriminate nature of these tragedies.

During this period, 305 motorcycle accidents resulted in 274 deaths and 328 injuries, accounting for 44.65 percent of total accidents, 38.70 percent of deaths, and 24.66 percent of injuries.

The most road accidents occurred in the Dhaka division, with 155 incidents resulting in 179 deaths and 305 injuries.

The Barishal division recorded the fewest incidents, with 35 accidents resulting in 53 deaths and 48 injuries.

These figures underscore a severe and ongoing crisis that demands immediate and comprehensive measures to enhance road safety and prevent further loss of life.

Alarming Rise in Road Accidents Demands Urgent Attention
**Dhaka, May 22** — Despite the alarming frequency of road accidents claiming numerous lives each month, the issue continues to persist without receiving adequate attention.

Among the victims were not only drivers and passengers but also pedestrians, law enforcement personnel, and innocent bystanders. Specifically, the victims included 10 law enforcement personnel, 169 drivers, 63 pedestrians, 58 transportation workers, 46 students, six teachers, 119 women, 67 children, three journalists, two doctors, one lawyer, three engineers, and eight politicians.

Of these, one police officer, three military personnel, one journalist, two doctors, 123 various transportation drivers, 58 pedestrians, 93 women, 49 children, 36 students, 33 transportation workers, six teachers, three engineers, and eight politicians were killed.

During this period, 305 motorcycle accidents resulted in 274 deaths and 328 injuries, accounting for 44.65 percent of total accidents, 38.70 percent of deaths, and 24.66 percent of injur

The most road accidents occurred in the Dhaka division, with 155 incidents resulting in 179 deaths and 305 injuries. The Barishal division recorded the fewest incidents, with 35 accidents resulting in 53 deaths and 48 injuries.

The identities of 988 vehicles involved in accidents were identified. Among them, 34.71 percent were motorcycles, 17.61 percent were trucks, pickups, and covered vans, 15.48 percent were buses, 13.15 percent were battery-operated rickshaws and Easybikes, 5.97 percent were CNG-operated auto-rickshaws, 6.78 percent were non-motorized vehicles and tractors, and 6.27 percent were cars, jeeps, and microbuses.

Month after month, the country witnesses a staggering number of road mishaps, resulting in loss of lives and devastating injuries, yet the gravity of the situation seems to evade comprehensive action.

The Association finds that there is a noticeable lack of attention and proactive measures to address the root causes of these accidents.

Experts and concerned citizens alike have pointed to a myriad of factors contributing to the ongoing crisis.

Issues such as reckless driving, lack of road infrastructure, poor vehicle maintenance, and inadequate enforcement of traffic laws continue to plague the country’s roads, responsible for such accidents.

Moreover, the absence of comprehensive road safety campaigns and initiatives further exacerbates the problem, the Association said.

Despite sporadic calls for action and promises of reform, the status quo remains largely unchanged, and the toll of road accidents continues to mount, it said.

About the nature of accidents, the association showed that 47.43 percent of the total organised accidents involved vehicle overturning, 25.32 percent involved head-on collisions, 23.13 percent involved losing control and falling into a ditch, 3.36 per cent involved various reasons, 0.29 per cent involved wheel skidding, and 0.43 per cent involved train-vehicle collisions.

In terms of accident types, 35.28 percent of the total organized accidents occurred on national highways, 14.78 percent on regional highways, and 42.45 percent on feeder roads.

According to the monitoring of the Bangladesh Passenger Welfare Association, notable causes of road accidents in April were:

In a bid to reduce accidents, the Association recommended for temporary cessation of motorcycle and Easybike imports and registrations, arrangement of lighting facilities for uninterrupted movement at night on national and regional highways, initiative to create skilled drivers, provision of fitness for vehicles in digital methods and separate lanes for slow and fast vehicles.

It has also recommended scarping unfit vehicles for public transportation and phased-out vehicles, ensuring quality road construction and maintenance, regular road safety audits.