Road accidents kill 739 in July: Road Safety Foundation

As many as 4,166 people were killed in road accidents since January this year, with the month of July witnessing highest number of causalities, according to Road Safety Foundation.

Some 632 road accidents took place in July, killing 739 people and injuring 2,042 others, the organisation said in report on Saturday.

The Road Safety Foundation is a UK charity advocating road casualty reduction through simultaneous action on all three components of the safe road system: roads, vehicles and behaviour.

Of the deceased, 109 were children, 105 women and 104 students.

Last month, bike accidents claimed 251 lives while waterway and train accidents killed 41 and 18 people respectively.

In July, Dhaka saw 41 accidents, killing 29 people and injuring 58 others.

Road Safety Foundation prepared the report based on news published in nine national dailies and seven online news portals and electronic media.

Regarding the rise in road accidents in July, Road Safety Foundation executive director Saidur Rhaman told Prothom Alo that Eid was celebrated at the beginning of this month and road accidents increased during Eid.

Besides, the government could not control the movement of motorcycle entirely. The Road Transport Act has not been implemented while surveillance is no more in place now a days. Moreover, restlessness among people has increased, Saidur Rahman added.

The government also restricted movement of motorcycle during Eid-ul-Azha, with banning inter-district movement of bike except for emergency.

Yet, 33 per cent of the deaths caused by road accidents in July were bike riders.