The government wants to cut road accident fatalities by half and reduce accidents by 30% over the next 10 years.
Police said, over the last five years, road accidents claimed 2,529 lives on average every year.
The plan was to establish a system of "pre-hospital" treatment, besides primary trauma centres every 70km along major highways, offer first aid and telephone facilities at filling stations, and include road safety education in schools.
These plans, not yet in place, are expected to be implemented by the end of 2016. The National Road Safety Council (NRSC) has been looking to reduce accidents since 1997.
NRSC and Road Transport and Highway Division secretary MAN Siddique told the Dhaka Tribune: “The plans are being implemented by different ministries, which makes coordination difficult.”
The safety council said pedestrians, cycle and motorcycle riders, and public transport passengers are most vulnerable. Of accident victims, 45% are pedestrians. Adult males account for a third of deaths. About 65% of accidents occur on highways and another 20% on city roads.
