Photo : Collected
About eleven years ago The Guardian wrote on road accidents: “Bangladesh's road accidents take a heavy toll on the poor – and on the economy. Road crashes disproportionately affect poor families, and cost Bangladesh almost as much as it receives in foreign aid.” That was over a decade ago, but what about now? Has the situation improved a bit in the past years? No, it hasn’t. On an average, every year about 6000 people die in accidents on our highways, mainly because of reckless driving. Besides, two-wheelers and three-wheelers on highways contribute to accidents and resulting fatality.
Many plans have been announced in seminar halls by road safety experts but nothing could put a ‘brake’ on accidents involving vehicles of different denominations. Defying all kinds of measures undertaken to curb road accidents by many agencies, the country witnessed nearly 8000 deaths from 6,261 road mishaps in 2023. The mishaps also caused injury to over 10 thousand people, many of whom became crippled permanently.
The year 2022 was not any better in terms of road safety. It has been recorded that from nearly 7000 road accidents about 10,000 people were reported dead while over 12,000 received injuries of various kinds.
The research wing at the BUET identified reckless driving and overtaking, broken down roads, unfit vehicles with faulty brake systems, unskilled drivers not qualified to drive on highways, drivers using mobile phones or headphones while driving, as the main reasons behind road crashes. At the same time, experts pointed out lack of awareness among the pedestrians as another important reason for violent crashes. Farmers or small traders walk by the side of the highways with their cattle or loads on their head thereby making them vulnerable to road accidents.
In the year 2023, many road accidents happened because of speeding motorcycles. There is an ominous tendency among youngsters to increase speed on empty roads that often lead to fatal accidents when a large vehicle approaches from around the bend.
We know why road accidents take place and we know how to prevent them. Then why accidents take precious lives on the roads every day? The authorities concerned must find the answer and act accordingly.
Messenger/Fameema
