Road crashes claim 417 lives in September, motorcycle accidents biggest cause of deaths: Report

Bangladesh witnessed another month of devastating road accidents in September, with 446 road accidents across the country claiming 417 lives and injuring 682 others, according to a report released today (4 October) by the Road Safety Foundation (RSF).

Its data underscore a persistent public safety crisis, particularly highlighting the high casualty rate among motorcyclists and pedestrians, according to a press release issued by the foundation.

Key fatalities' data

The RSF report, compiled from nine national dailies, seven online news portals, electronic media, and proprietary data, revealed that:

• Motorcycles were involved in 151 accidents, resulting in 143 deaths, which constituted 34.29% of all road fatalities. This makes motorcycles the single deadliest vehicle type on the road.
• Pedestrian fatalities remained high, with 112 deaths, accounting for 26.85% of the total toll.
• Among the deceased were 63 women and 47 children.
• Victims also included 49 students, seven teachers, three journalists, and two police personnel.
• The death of drivers and their assistants accounted for 13.42%, with 56 fatalities.

Where and how accidents occur

• Roads outside city limits remained the most dangerous, with the majority of accidents occurring on highways:
• Road type: National highways saw the highest number of accidents at 36.09%, followed by regional roads (31.16%), and urban roads (19.95%).
• Accident type: The most common accident cause was drivers losing control of vehicles (38.34%), followed by pedestrians being hit/crushed (26.68%).
• Involved vehicles: Among the 661 vehicles involved, trucks, covered vans, pickups, and tractors accounted for 25.56%, closely trailed by motorcycles (24.05%), and buses (18%).
• Area-wise highest tolls: Dhaka division recorded the highest number of accidents (28.69%) and fatalities (29.73%), with 124 deaths in 128 crashes. Chattogram district had the highest single-district death toll, with 45 fatalities in 52 accidents.

Water and rail casualties

In addition to the road carnage, the month saw significant casualties in other transport sectors:

• Waterway accidents: 17 incidents resulted in 21 deaths and six missing persons.
• Rail accidents: 29 accidents led to 27 deaths and 13 injuries.

Causes and RSF's recommendations

The RSF attributes the high number of accidents to systemic issues, including reckless speed, faulty vehicles and roads, and poor labour conditions for drivers. The report notes that most vehicle drivers suffer from physical and mental stress due to unspecified salaries and working hours, leading to reckless behaviour.

To curb the alarming trend, it put forth several recommendations for the government to implement:

1. Initiatives to create skilled drivers.
2. Drivers' salaries and working hours must be specified.
3. The capacity of the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) must be increased.
4. The unobstructed application of traffic laws must be ensured for transport owners and workers, passengers, and pedestrians.
5. Slow-moving vehicles must be banned from highways, and separate side roads (service roads) must be constructed for them.
6. Road dividers must be constructed on all highways in phases.
7. Extortion in public transport must be stopped.
8. Rail and river transport must be reformed to reduce pressure on roadways.
9. Sustainable transport strategies must be formulated and implemented.
10. The Road Transport Act-2018 must be implemented without hindrance.