A total of 458 road accidents occurred across Bangladesh in July, leaving 416 people dead and another 629 injured. Among those killed were 57 women and 48 children.
Motorcycle crashes accounted for the highest number of deaths, making up more than one-third of the total fatalities. Pedestrians and passengers of three-wheelers also accounted for a significant number of deaths. In terms of timing, the highest number of accidents occurred in the morning.
The Road Safety Foundation disclosed the figures in a statement sent to the media on Thursday. The report was prepared based on information from nine national dailies, 17 national and regional online portals, various electronic media outlets and the organisation’s own data.
According to the report, 138 people were killed in motorcycle accidents in July. Motorcycle riders and passengers accounted for the largest share of the fatalities.
Another 94 people were killed in three-wheeler accidents. Passengers of locally manufactured vehicles, buses, trucks, covered vans and pickup trucks were also among those killed.
More Accidents on National Highways
A large proportion of the accidents occurred on national and regional highways. There were 169 accidents on national highways and 155 on local roads. Another 61 accidents occurred on rural roads and 66 on roads in urban areas. Seven more accidents occurred at other locations.
An analysis of the types of accidents showed that loss of control over vehicles was the leading cause, accounting for 164 accidents. There were 123 head-on collisions, while 108 incidents involved vehicles running over or hitting pedestrians. In addition, 54 accidents involved one vehicle colliding with the rear of another.
An analysis by time of day showed that the highest number of accidents occurred in the morning, accounting for 28.82 per cent of all accidents. Night-time accidents accounted for 19.43 per cent, while 17.24 per cent occurred in the afternoon and 14.84 per cent in the late afternoon. The rates were comparatively lower in the evening and early morning.
Dhaka Division recorded the highest number of accidents, with 133 incidents leaving 125 people dead. Chattogram Division also recorded a significant number of accidents. Barishal Division had the lowest number, with 28 accidents that claimed 24 lives.
In the capital, 34 road accidents occurred in July, leaving 18 people dead and 47 injured.
Among those killed were 53 students from various educational institutions. People from a wide range of professions also lost their lives, including political party leaders and activists, businesspeople, NGO workers, bank and insurance employees, sales representatives, teachers and journalists.
Major Causes of Accidents
According to the Road Safety Foundation, defective vehicles and dilapidated roads, excessive speed, drivers’ lack of skills and reckless attitudes are among the major causes of road accidents.
The organisation said the absence of fixed working hours and wages for drivers, the operation of slow-moving vehicles on highways, reckless motorcycle riding by young people and a tendency to violate traffic laws are also contributing to the rise in accidents.
It also identified weak traffic management, limited capacity of the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) and extortion in the public transport sector as factors behind road accidents.
To reduce road accidents, the Road Safety Foundation recommended restructuring the National Road Safety Council, carrying out structural reforms of the BRTA, Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation (BRTC) and Dhaka Transport Coordination Authority (DTCA), removing unfit and expired vehicles from the roads, and making modern safety technologies mandatory in vehicles.
It also recommended producing skilled drivers, setting fixed wages and working hours for drivers, constructing service roads for slow-moving vehicles on highways, and appointing gatekeepers at railway crossings.
According to the organisation, ensuring road safety requires not only improvements in policies and infrastructure but also greater awareness among road users. Political commitment from the government is also essential.
The Road Safety Foundation said timely policies, technological upgrades and infrastructure development, along with strong political commitment from the government, are necessary to ensure safer roads.