Children accounted for the highest number of annual road accident fatalities in the country, with 591 losing their lives in 2025 alone.
Among the deaths, 179 were aged between one month and five years, while 382 were between six and twelve years old. During the same period, 447 adolescents aged 13 to 17 also died in road accidents. The figures were reported Tuesday by the Road Safety Foundation.
According to the report, signed by Executive Director Saidur Rahman, the alarming rise in child fatalities is linked to mismanagement of roads and transport systems, as well as a lack of public awareness of traffic laws.
In total, 1,008 children and adolescents aged between one month and 17 years were killed in road accidents last year. The statistics were compiled using data from nine national daily newspapers, seven online news portals, electronic media, and the organization’s own sources.
The report highlights that most child fatalities occur while commuting to schools or playing near residential areas. The highest number of pedestrian child deaths take place on rural roads, where houses open directly onto the streets, making children especially vulnerable.
Key causes cited include unsafe roads, lack of child awareness, unskilled drivers, inadequate medical care, and financial constraints faced by families.
The Road Safety Foundation called for safer roads for children, public awareness programs, action against unskilled drivers, better hospital care, special treatment funds, and strict enforcement of the Road Transport Act 2018.
