The expected road safety in the country is still a distant dream as the procession of death on the country’s roads and highways is continuing unabated. As many as 739 people including 109 children were killed and 2,042 others injured in 632 road accidents across the country in July. Of these, 251 people died in motorbike accidents alone, which is 33.96% of the total fatalities, Road Safety Foundation said in its latest report released on Saturday. Road Safety Foundation prepared the report based on the reports of nine national dailies, seven online news portals and electronic media.
Almost every day we are bombarded with reports of grisly road mishaps, deaths and injuries. Though too many lives are being lost on roads every day, the reasons for the accidents are not being investigated with due importance. After every incident of road crash we hear pledges of taking effective measures from the authorities concerned but the issue falls into oblivion within a few days which is why the procession of deaths on the roads never stops.
The government should take more severe
steps in ensuring punishment of the drivers
who do not follow the traffic rules
In order to ensure road safety for all, the design and quality of the roads and highways must be improved; unfit vehicles should not be allowed on the roads and there should be mass awareness on traffic rules. So many lives are being lost on our roads every day, and it’s time the government put all-out efforts to bring some order on the road. We must take stern actions against reckless driving. Also, unskilled drivers of vehicles, most often not having a legal licence, should be identified and punished.
We should devise immediate measures to improve the current road safety issues, such as examining driver’s skill and vehicle fitness, discouraging reckless driving, improving the traffic police control system and ensuring more cooperation between the drivers and owners. Also, transport owners should scrutinise the driving skill of the drivers before recruiting. Last but not least, the government should take more severe steps in ensuring punishment of the drivers who do not follow the traffic rules.
