Road Safety Foundation and Jatri Kalyan Samity release data on road fatalities every month. According to the Road Safety Foundation, 564 people died on the roads in March. According to Jatri Kalyan Samity died 538 people. Although the data provided by the two organisations does not match, we get a rough idea of road crashes from both of them.
According to both organisations, the number of deaths on roads increased in March compared to February. According to the data, Among the deaths 194 (34.39 per cent) motorcyclists and riders, 53 (9.39 per cent) bus passengers, 49 (8.68 per cent) truck-covered van-pickup-tractor-trolley-lorry riders, 22 (3.90 per cent) microbus-private car-ambulance passengers, 104 (18.43 per cent) three-wheeler passengers (easybike-CNG-autorickshaw-autovan-Laguna) were killed in March. Besides locally made vehicles killed 24 (4.25 per cent) and bicycle, rickshaw and rickshaw-van killed 11 (1.95 per cent).
The vehicles which cause more accidents need to be more careful while operating. This does not mean that other vehicles should be given less importance. Eid-ul-Fitr holiday is in the third-fourth week of April. During this time, the number of commuters and vehicles on the road will increase a lot. Naturally, vehicle monitoring should be increased on the road. Vehicles compete recklessly.
Transport owners force the drivers to drive constantly for longer hours due to the rush of passengers at this time. The driver of the bus that met with an accident on the Dhaka-Bhanga Expressway near the Padma Bridge in March had been driving for hours at a row. Such exercise may increase during Eid.
According to the report of Jatri Kalyan Samity, accidents occur due to inefficiency and reckless driving of drivers, reckless speeding and dangerous overtaking. Apart from this, accidents also occur due to unfit vehicles plying on the roads. In the past we saw traffic is not same on all roads during Eid. In some roads, the pressure increases suddenly. In such case there no option but to increase supervision and surveillance on the road.
The authorities must remember that the number of motorcycles increases on the road as the number of commuters increases during Eid. Many will use this light vehicle to reach their destination fast. Although the movement of light vehicles is prohibited on the highway, its use increases during this time. Besides, due to the inadequacy of public transport, many are forced to travel in light vehicles at risk.
Everyone must follow the law and regulations on the road- be it heavy, light vehicles or on local roads or highways. Everyone must keep this in mind that our our focus should to reach the destination safely without jeopardising the journey of others.
This is the second Eid and the first Eid-ul-Fitr after the inauguration of the Padma Bridge. The passengers from Dhaka to the south and south-western regions should have a comfortable Eid journey. The pressure on ferry on Daulatdia-Paturia route will also be reduced. However, all vehicles should be allowed to ply on every road and highway in an orderly manner to ensure the comfort of Eid journey. Transport owners-workers, passengers and authorities should be extremely careful so that the joyous Eid journey does not turn into a havoc.