As reported by this daily on Saturday, the number of vehicles in the country has tripled during the last one decade, but the number of skilled drivers has not increased compared to the number of vehicles. Reportedly, the number of registered vehicles across the country till September 30 is more than 45 lakh 64 thousand. And so far the number of registered drivers is 27 lakh 67 thousand.
But, there is an acute shortage of skilled drivers of heavy vehicles including buses and trucks. Unfit vehicles and unskilled drivers are considered key reasons behind road crashes. In most cases, owners of the vehicles recruit drivers considering personal relationship and recommendations from known circle without properly testing their driving skill. As a result, a large number of unskilled drivers and unfit vehicles get chance to ply freely the roads illegally.
In order to reinforce road safety, transport
owners must rigidly scrutinize the driving
skill of the drivers before recruiting
There is no denying that Mobile teams from Bangladesh Roads and Transport Authority (BRTA) often conducts drive against unfit vehicles, but the sheer presence of such vehicles on the road exposes the failure of BRTA to tackle the problem effectively.
It is often seen that when BRTA launches a mobile court drive, all the vehicles without fitness certificate go off the road, and then return immediately often the drive is over to avert the danger of being caught. Hence BRTA should think about the effectiveness of its drive against unfit and longevity expired vehicles. The mobile courts should go after unfit vehicles on a regular basis instead of once in a blue moon.
In order to reinforce road safety, transport owners must rigidly scrutinize the driving skill of the drivers before recruiting. Authorities concerned should take immediate measures to improve the current road safety issues, such as examining driver’s skill and fitness of vehicle, discouraging reckless driving, improving the traffic police control system and ensuring more cooperation between the drivers and owners.