Road accidents kill 614 in May, almost half involve motorbikes: PWAB

At least 614 people have lost their lives in road accidents across Bangladesh in May this year, with nearly 42 percent of those deaths caused by motorcycle crashes, according to data published by the Passenger Welfare Association of Bangladesh (PWAB).

The association published its monthly accident report on Thursday, which revealed that a total of 597 road accidents were reported in May, resulting in 614 deaths and 1,196 injuries.

The report also notes 48 railway accidents resulting in 35 deaths, and seven waterway accidents causing nine deaths. Combined, at least 652 transport-related accidents occurred in May, leaving 658 people dead and 1,210 injured.

The association reported that 256 of the deaths occurred in 233 motorcycle-related crashes, accounting for 39.02 percent of total accidents and 41.69 percent of all fatalities during the month.

The Dhaka Division recorded the highest number of road accidents, with 139 incidents causing 148 deaths and 271 injuries. In comparison, the Barishal Division saw the fewest, with 30 accidents, 30 deaths, and 44 injuries.

The association’s secretary general, Mozammel Haque Chowdhury, said the report was compiled by monitoring news reports published across print and digital platforms covering road, rail, and waterway accidents.

Among those killed in road accidents, 142 were drivers, followed by 95 pedestrians, 66 students, 59 women, 54 children, and 34 transport workers.

As for the types of vehicles involved, 29.41 percent were motorcycles; 22.53 percent were trucks, pickups, covered vans, or lorries; 12.48 percent were buses; 14.17 percent were battery-powered rickshaws or easy-bikes; 6.66 percent were CNG-powered auto-rickshaws; 9.31 percent were locally modified vehicles; and 5.39 percent were cars, jeeps, or microbuses.

Of the accidents, 49.07 percent involved pedestrians being run over, 24.95 percent were head-on collisions, 20.10 percent were caused by vehicles losing control and falling into ditches, 0.33 percent involved scarves caught in wheels, 0.50 percent were collisions between trains and other vehicles.

The report also points out several factors contributing to the high rate of road accidents in Bangladesh:

· Unregulated movement of motorcycles and battery-operated rickshaws on highways

· Lack of road signs, road markings, and lighting on major highways, making driving dangerous for private vehicles, especially at night

· The absence of turning signs on national, regional, and feeder roads, particularly dangerous for inexperienced drivers

· Poor road construction, vehicle defects, and tendency to disregard traffic laws

· Driving on the wrong side of the road, extortion on highways, and passengers being transported in cargo vehicles

· Unskilled drivers, unfit vehicles, overloading, reckless driving, and driving for hours without rest

Based on its observations, the PWAB has proposed the following measures to reduce the rising number of road accidents:

· Immediately ban the import and registration of motorcycles and battery-powered rickshaws

· Install proper lighting on national and regional highways for safer travel at night

· Train skilled drivers and set up digital systems for issuing vehicle fitness certificates

· Introduce separate lanes for slow and high-speed vehicles

· Eliminate extortion on roads and ensure fixed working hours and wages for drivers

· Install pavements, pedestrian crossings, road signs, and markings on highways

· Enforce the Road Transport Act using digital methods

· Develop a modern, high-quality public bus network and increase BRTA’s capacity

· Ensure proper construction and timely repair of roads, with regular road safety audits

· Scrap expired public transport and long-term unfit vehicles