416 killed in road crashes across country in July: RSF

 
Road accidents surged across Bangladesh in July, claiming 416 lives and injuring 629, the Road Safety Foundation (RSF) reported on Thursday. The foundation compiled the figures from nine national dailies, 17 online portals, electronic media and its own records, noting a total of 458 accidents nationwide.

Motorcycle crashes were the deadliest single category, accounting for 138 fatalities �" more than one-third of the overall deaths �" with riders and pillion passengers bearing the brunt. Three-wheeler incidents killed 94 people, while passengers of locally manufactured vehicles, buses, trucks, covered vans and pickups also featured prominently among the victims. Women accounted for 57 of the fatalities and 48 were children; 53 students from various educational institutions were among those killed.

Geographically, the highest number of incidents occurred on national highways (169), followed closely by local roads (155). Rural and urban roads saw 61 and 66 accidents respectively, with seven incidents recorded at other locations. Divisional data show Dhaka at the top with 133 accidents that left 125 people dead, while Chattogram also registered a significant toll. Barishal reported the fewest incidents �" 28 accidents claiming 24 lives. In the capital city, 34 accidents in July resulted in 18 deaths and 47 injuries.

Timing analysis indicates mornings are the most dangerous period, accounting for 28.82 percent of accidents. Night-time incidents made up 19.43 percent, afternoons 17.24 percent and late afternoons 14.84 percent; evening and early-morning rates were lower. Crash-type breakdown reveals loss of vehicle control as the leading cause, implicated in 164 accidents. Head-on collisions numbered 123, incidents involving pedestrians were 108, and 54 accidents were rear-end collisions.

The Road Safety Foundation pointed to multiple systemic and behavioral causes: defective and expired vehicles, dilapidated roads, excessive speed, inadequate driver skills, reckless attitudes and widespread traffic-law violations. Structural issues cited include weak traffic management, limited capacity at the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA), and extortion in the public transport sector. Additional contributors highlighted were the absence of fixed driver wages and hours, operation of slow-moving vehicles on highways, and risky motorcycle riding by young people.

To curb the mounting toll, the foundation urged sweeping reforms: restructure the National Road Safety Council, overhaul BRTA, BRTC and DTCA, remove unfit vehicles from roads, mandate modern vehicle-safety technologies, train professional drivers, fix driver wages and hours, build service lanes for slow vehicles, and appoint gatekeepers at railway crossings. It stressed that policy action, infrastructure upgrades, technology adoption and sustained political commitment are essential to make Bangladesh’s roads safer.