Report: 564 people lost lives in 486 road accidents in March

Bangladesh saw 486 road accidents in March which led to the tragic loss of at least 564 lives, according to a report by Road Safety Foundation. 

The report, released on Wednesday, highlighted that deaths in road accidents increased by 13.66% in March compared to the previous month.

The foundation made the report based on information from nine national dailies, seven online news portals and electronic media.

The number of injured also increased from 712 to 1,097.

The causes of road accidents include vehicles violating speed limits, reckless driving, issues concerning drivers' salary and working hours, low-speed vehicles on highways, physical and mental illness of drivers, youths driving motorcycles recklessly, lack of awareness and disobedience of traffic laws, weak traffic management, institutional weakness, extortion and faulty vehicles, according to the report. 

There were 88 women and 73 children among the dead. 

Photo shows an ambulance wrecked in a collision with a bus in Rangpur on Sunday, September 11, 2022 Dhaka Tribune

Besides, at least 194 people died in accidents involving motorcycles, which is 34.39% of the total deaths. 

The motorcycle accident rate stands at 36.83%.

Meanwhile, 107 pedestrians were killed in the accidents, which contributed to 18.97% of the total fatalities.

Furthermore, 81 drivers and their assistants died, which is 14.36% of the dead.

During the month, eight people were killed in six boat accidents, while 16 were killed and four were injured in 19 railway accidents.

Dhaka saw the most deaths, amounting to 24, with 16 injured.

The foundation also made some recommendations to minimize and prevent these incidents.

The recommendations include producing skilled drivers, setting fixed work hours, increasing the capacity of the BRTA, enforcing traffic laws, taking low-speed vehicles out of highways and creating separate roads for them.

People are seen at the site of an accident which left at least five dead in Rajbari on Wednesday, June 1, 2022 Bangla Tribune

At least 487 people were killed and 712 were injured in 439 road accidents throughout the country in February. 

On the other hand, Jatri Kalyan Samity also published a report on Wednesday.

The report mentioned that the country saw 487 road accidents in March.

At least 538 people were killed and 1138 injured in the accidents, according to this report.

It said most accidents occurred on regional and national highways covering 35.11% - 33.06% of the total number of accidents.