Road accidents in Bangladesh
21,316 killed in 2012: WHO
�Country sees about 1.6pc GDP loss each year�
UNB
Observing that half of all road traffic deaths are among pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists, the World Health Organisation (WHO) reveals that around 21,316 people were killed in road accidents across Bangladesh in 2012 alone. Almost half of all the deaths on the worlds roads are among those with the least protection - motorcyclists (23 pc), pedestrians (22pc) and cyclists (4 pc), according to the WHOs Global status report on road safety 2015 released yesterday.
WHO estimated that 13.6 people are killed in road accidents in every one lakh population of Bangladesh while it sees about 1.6 percent of GDP loss due to road traffic crashes each year, it says. About the global scenario, the WHOs road safety reports shows some 1.25 million people die each year as a result of road traffic crashes, despite improvements in road safety. Road traffic fatalities take an unacceptable toll, particularly on poor people in poor countries, says WHO Director General Dr Margaret Chan.
However, the number of road traffic deaths is stabilising even though the number of motor vehicles worldwide has increased rapidly, as has the global population. In the last three years, 79 countries have seen a decrease in the absolute number of fatalities while 68 countries have seen an increase.
Countries that have had the most success in reducing the number of road traffic deaths have achieved this by improving legislation, enforcement, and making roads and vehicles safer, according to a news item released from Geneva on Friday.
Were moving in the right direction, adds Dr Chan. The report shows that road safety strategies are saving lives. But it also tells us that the pace of change is too slow. The WHO report highlights that road users around the world are unequally protected. The risk of dying in a road traffic crash still depends, in great part, on where people live and how they move around.
A big gap still separates high-income countries from low- and middle-income ones where 90 percent of road traffic deaths occur in spite of having just 54 percent of the worlds vehicles.
Europe, in particular the regions wealthier countries, has the lowest death rates per capita; Africa the highest. More countries acting on road safety, but further action is required.
But more countries are taking action to make roads safer. In the last three years, 17 countries have aligned at least one of their laws with best practice on seat-belts, drink-driving, speed, motorcycle helmet or child restraints.
The report, funded by Bloomberg Philanthropies, reveals that globally 105 countries have good seat-belt laws that apply to all occupants; 47 countries have good speed laws defining a national urban maximum speed limit of 50 Km/h and empowering local authorities to further reduce speed limits; 34 countries have a good drink-driving law with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) limit of less than or equal to 0.05 g/dl as well as lower limits of less than or equal to 0.02 g/dl for young and novice drivers.
Motorcyclists are particularly vulnerable, making up 23 percent of all road traffic deaths. In many regions, this problem is increasing; in the region of the Americas, for example, the proportion of motorcycle deaths out of all road traffic fatalities rose from 15 percent to 20 percent between 2010 and 2013. In the South-East Asia and Western Pacific regions, a third of all road traffic deaths are among motorcyclists. Pedestrians and cyclists are also among the groups with the least protection, making up 22 percent and 4 percent of global deaths respectively. The lack of policies aimed at vulnerable road users is killing people and harming our cities. If we make walking and cycling safer there will be fewer deaths, more physical activity, better air quality, and more pleasant cities.
