Spike in fatal road crashes this year

According to data collected by NGOs, this is higher than the number of deaths in the first two months of 2016. The National Committee to Protect Shipping, Roads and Railways (NCPSRR) found that 697 people were killed and 2,055 injured this year, till Friday. There were 644 accidents in the first two months of last year, causing 696 deaths and 2,162 injuries. Keeping in mind there are two more weeks of February left, this year’s death figures have already exceeded last year’s. The daily average last year was 11 deaths, whilst in 2017, so far every day an average of 15 have been killed. NCPSRR collected the information from 20 national dailies, 10 regional newspapers, eight online newspapers and news agencies. The country is going to face more accidents this year if effective measures are not taken soon, road safety specialists said. Buet’s Accident Research Institute’s Assistant Professor Kazi Shifun Newaz told the Dhaka Tribune that the recent accidents were mostly head-on collisions. “This indicates that the accidents were mostly caused by overtaking and over-speeding. “ARI’s findings suggest that for the lack of emergency response facilities, as much as 45% of the victims are killed after getting to hospitals,” he said. If there were immediate primary treatment facilities after accidents, many victims’ lives could be saved, he added. NCPSRR General Secretary Ashish Kumar Dey said there was a sudden increase in the number of three-wheelers and locally-built vehicles on highways, driving recklessly in dense fogs, unskilled motorcycle drivers and a lack of awareness among pedestrians and drivers of small vehicles. This may have pushed up the number of accidents, he said. ARI researcher Kazi Shifun said this deadliest rise of accidents could worsen in the future if they cannot be brought under control. To prevent this, major highways should be made four-lane, driving licences should only be issued to competent and knowledgeable drivers, more training should be offered to all workers, he added. He said that the government has to ensure ‘golden-hour treatment,’ which is first aid for trauma within an hour of accidents. “More cameras should be placed on roads to monitor vehicle speed.” “Most of all, the drivers should be taught the fact that life is more important than time,” he suggested. Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) Secretary Sawkat Ali said they had already instructed transport owners to be disciplined. A number of safety measures had been taken to make highways safer. Mozzzammel Haque, secretary general of Bangladesh Jatri Kalyan Samiti, said there was no sign of discipline on highways. “Road safety can only be found in their promises, not actions.”