Road crashes kill 3 children daily on average

Road accidents, reported last year, shows that three children died every day on an average, which at the year-end added to a concerning 15% child deaths among the 7,713 people killed on roads, according to the Road Safety Foundation.

Of the total 2022 road mishap casualties, 1,143 were children aged 3 months to 17 years, said a recent report by the foundation which promotes road safety in the country through training and advocacy.

The report, based on data from nine national dailies, seven online news portals, and electronic media, added that of these children, 32.19% were killed as passengers of various vehicles, 41.90% were killed while crossing the road and walking along the road, 7.34% were killed as drivers of trucks, pick-up vans, tractors, trucks, three-wheelers, and their helpers while 18.54% of children were killed as motorcyclists or pillions.

Experts suggest the practice of fastening seat belts and the use of child-friendly seats in vehicles can prevent child casualties on the road.

In 2019, the number of children casualties in the country was more than 600 which increased in the following two years taking it over the one thousand mark.

Ilias Kanchan, chairman of Nirapad Sarak Chai, said child-friendly seats are added to vehicle seats in different countries of the world, considering the age and height of children. It helps reduce the risk of child death caused by road accidents.

According to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the use of child-friendly seats in vehicles reduces the risk of injury in road accidents by 71%–82% for children, when compared with seat belt use alone. Booster seat use reduces the risk for serious injury by 45% for children ages 4–8 years, when compared with seat belt use alone. Seat belt use reduces the risk of death and serious injury by about half for older children and adults.

While analysing the types of road accidents that killed children, 16.09% were killed in accidents on highways, 27.90% on regional highways, 41.73% on rural roads, 13.03% were killed on city streets, and 1.22% in accidents on other places. 

Moreover, 13-17 age group children are on the top in the mortality rate caused by road accidents with 49.95%. Besides, 427 children were killed in road accidents while going to school and returning home and 119 children were killed on roads while playing nearby their houses.

Saidur Rahman, executive director of the Road Safety Foundation, told TBS that the country's roads and road transport are not child-friendly. No vehicles are suitable for children. Moreover, children do not know any rules regarding the use of roads. 

"There is no concern among the authorities concerned on the matter. Similarly, there is no visible initiative to create any kind of awareness among the common people. But children are the victims of this mismanagement," he added. 

Nur Mohammad Mazumder, chairman of the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority, said the existing regulation mentions separate seating arrangements for children in the vehicles. BRTA is working on it so that manufacturing companies give priority to the issue of children while making seats, and those who import seats also give importance to the issue.  

"We are also working to make people and vehicle drivers aware to prevent road accidents," he added.