Road crash has become a major concern in the country as discipline has not returned on roads and highways. Country’s most roads and highways have become death traps for the travellers with deadly accidents occurring almost on a regular basis. The trend in road crash death is getting alarming across the country.
According to highway police, a total of 306 people were killed in 347 road accidents across Cumilla regional highway zone between January and September this year. Besides, some 313 people suffered serious injuries in road accidents during the period. The accident is not only taking lives on Cumilla regional highway zone but also we are witnessing the deadly and tragic road disasters on all highways and roads across the country. In the wake of alarming trend of fatal road crash, the government, different non-government organisations, and universities have organised various programmes like seminars, symposiums, workshops and discussions to prevent such fatal road accidents. Besides, the print and electronic media also continued running stories and editorials on how and in what way we all could take forward the road safety activities.
Apart from these, the government has been implementing massive programmes to build a developed road communication infrastructure in the country. It has extended the network of highways to 21,302,08 kilometers, upgraded 453,07 kilometers of national highways to four-lane, constructed or reconstructed 1209 bridges, 5581 culverts, 18 flyovers or overpasses and 27 underpasses.
But reckless driving, poor traffic management, movement of unfit and slow pace vehicles on highways, semiskilled drivers and lack of their physical and mental fitness, undetermined working hours, lack of capability of Bangladesh Road Transport Authority, ingorance of traffic rules, extortion in the transport sector are contributing to surge in road accidents in the country.
Road disaster continued
to ruin many families
especially giving a deadly
blow to the poor ones
Therefore, whatever we do to stop the road crash, the fact is that there is no minimum improvement in the country’s road safety prospects till date. People who travel by road or highway feel they are not safe.
The losses include direct and indirect expenses, such as medical costs, insurance loss, property damage and family income losses. The road disaster continued to ruin many families especially giving a deadly blow to the poor ones.
The road crash disproportionately affects the poor as it is killing and injuring people who are young and productive, and therefore have a hidden development impact. The government must strengthen road safety side by side with making massive development of the country’s road transport system.
Besides, all, including transport owners, workers, passengers and pedestrians will have to work from their respective position to prevent road accidents. The government should continue upgrading all highways to four or more than four lanes in phases, constructing more flyovers and overpasses, making traffic signs and road markings, constructing restrooms beside highways, imparting training to drivers in this regard.
Besides, leaflets, posters and stickers will have to be distributed to make aware the transport owners, drivers, passengers and pedestrians. The government and transport owners of have to take effective steps for the upskilling of drivers, fixing their wages and working hours, enhancing BRTA’s capacity, constructing separate roads for slow paced vehicles, and dividers on roads to decrease the number of accidents.
Besides, developing the traffic system, stopping extortion of money and corruption in the transport sector, reducing pressure on roads by improving the services on railways and waterways, and enforcement of the Road Safety Act, 2018 are a must to reduce the number of road accidents. The government and other stakeholders will have to rethink the issue seriously as road crashes must stop as early as possible.
