Seven people were killed and over 50 injured in a recent passenger bus collision on the Dhaka-Sylhet highway.
Every death on the roads is a tragedy. But it is a national shame that we have become so inured to the shocking state of poor driving practices on our nation’s roads, that few are surprised by the high number of avoidable deaths caused by head-on collisions and reckless driving.
Thousands die every year as a result of road traffic accidents in Bangladesh. Although estimates vary widely on the total numbers, WHO studies make clear the country has one of the worst accident fatality rates in the world.
Much more must be done to improve driving standards if we are address the crisis of poor road safety.
Policymakers need to prioritise safety. If driving standards remain as poor as they are, building new roads to improve capacity will not be enough to reduce the carnage, but simply add to the total numbers of deaths and accidents, particularly to pedestrians.
The government must ensure far better training of drivers and proper enforcement of traffic laws.
While poor infrastructure and maintenance are among factors underlying the problem, the carnage caused by road accidents highlights the harm done by reckless driving.
There should be no tolerance for dangerous driving. People should be free to travel safely on our roads and highways without worrying about loss of life and limb.
Everyone, vehicle owners, drivers and passengers alike, must take more responsibility to ensure vehicles are driven responsibly and safely.
