Own Correspondent: In the month of May, the country’s media has published information about 614 killed and 1196 injured in 597 road accidents. This month, 35 killed and 14 injured in 48 railway accidents have come to the media. According to the information, 09 people died in 07 accidents on the waterways, 10 are missing. A total of 652 accidents on roads, railways and waterways have resulted in 658 deaths and 1210 injuries. During this period, 256 people were killed and 201 injured in 233 motorcycle accidents. Which is 39.02 percent of the total accidents, 41.69 percent of the deaths and 16.80 percent of the injuries. The highest number of road accidents occurred in Dhaka division this month, with 139 road accidents resulting in 148 deaths and 271 injuries, while the lowest number of road accidents occurred in Barisal division, with 30 road accidents resulting in 30 deaths and 44 injuries. This information was obtained from the media monitoring of the Accident Monitoring Cell of Bangladesh Passenger Welfare Association.
The organization presented this report in a press release signed by the organization’s Secretary General Md. Mozammel Haque Chowdhury on Wednesday, June 12. This report was prepared by monitoring the news of road, rail and waterway accidents published in the country’s national, regional and online newspapers.
Among the people injured in road accidents, 07 law enforcement officers, 154 drivers, 103 pedestrians, 67 transport workers, 92 students, 05 teachers, 88 women, 58 children, 37 journalists, 02 doctors, 01 freedom fighter, and 07 leaders and activists of different political parties. Among them, 02 policemen, 01 army member, 01 fire service member, 02 doctors, 01 freedom fighter, 142 drivers of various transport vehicles, 95 pedestrians, 59 women, 54 children, 66 students, 34 transport workers, 05 teachers and 07 leaders and activists of various political parties were killed.
During this time, the identities of 945 vehicles involved in road accidents have been identified. It can be seen that 29.41 percent were motorcycles, 22.53 percent were trucks-pickups-covered vans and lorries, 12.48 percent were buses, 14.17 percent were battery-powered rickshaws and easy bikes, 6.66 percent were CNG-powered auto-rickshaws, 9.31 percent were Nachiman-Kariman-Mahindra-tractors and Lagunas, and 5.39 percent were cars-jeeps-microbuses.
Of the total accidents, 49.07 percent were car-ramming incidents, 24.95 percent were head-on collisions, 20.10 percent were loss of control and falling into ditches, 5.02 percent were due to various reasons, 0.33 percent were due to wheel spin, and 0.50 were due to train-vehicle collisions.
Analysis of the accident types shows that 33.50 percent of the total accidents occurred this month on national highways, 32.83 percent on regional highways, and 28.14 percent on feeder roads. In addition, 3.51 percent of the total accidents occurred in Dhaka metropolitan area, 1.50 percent in Chittagong metropolitan area, and 0.50 percent at railway crossings.
According to the observation of the Bangladesh Passenger Welfare Association, the significant reasons for road accidents in May are:
1. Free movement of motorcycles and battery-powered rickshaws on the country’s roads and highways.
2. Due to the lack of road signs or road markings and road lights on national highways, drivers of private vehicles who suddenly travel on these national highways are taking risks while driving on these national highways at night.
3. Due to the lack of turning signs on national, regional and feeder roads, new drivers have been involved in accidents on these roads.
4. Highway construction defects, vehicle defects, tendency to disobey traffic laws.
5. Driving vehicles in the opposite direction, lighting on the road, transporting passengers in goods vehicles.
6. Inefficient drivers, unfit vehicles, carrying excess passengers, reckless driving of vehicles and one driver driving vehicles for excessive time.
Recommendations to prevent accidents:
1. Stop the import and registration of motorcycles and battery-powered rickshaws on an urgent basis.
2. Arrange lighting for free movement on national and regional highways at night.
3. Take initiatives to create skilled drivers, provide fitness of vehicles through digital methods.
4. Arrange separate lanes for slow and fast vehicles.
5. Stop hoarding on the roads, ensure the salaries and working hours of drivers.
6. Provide sidewalks and pedestrian crossings on the highway, install road signs, road markings.
7. Implement the Road Transport Act appropriately in a digital manner.
8. Develop a high-quality modern bus network, increase the capacity of the regulatory body BRTA.
9. Ensure quality road construction and repair, conduct regular road safety audits.
10. Take initiatives to scrap expired public transport and vehicles that have not been fit for a long time.
