Minimising road accidents

Road accident has become a formidable national problem

The Road Transport and Bridges Minister, Obaidul Quader, at a workshop underscored the need for strict implementation of laws to bring back discipline in the transport sector and thus reduce road crashes, according to a report in this newspaper recently. That road   accidents are increasing in the country should become an issue of prime concern. Hardly a day passes without a road accident.
A number of celebrated personalities lost their lives on the street in the past. It has become a formidable national problem recently. At least 8,642 people were killed and 21,855 others injured in around 6,581 road accidents that occurred across the country in 2015. That shows on average 25/26 people were killed in road mishaps every day.
Operation of faulty vehicles, pitiable conditions of roads and highways, hazardous road turns, unskilled drivers at the steering wheels, reckless driving and sheer violation of traffic rules have been identified as some of the causes of road accidents. Many an accident took place in the country in the past mainly due to the recklessness of drivers.
Taking advantage of the lax vigilance of the members of the law enforcement agencies, many vehicles, particularly buses that are not road worthy have been pressed into service and those are plying the roads without any hindrance. The driving skills of the people at the steering wheels of these vehicles are dubious, to say the least. Many drivers show scant respect to traffic rules. It seems that the passengers of these vehicles are at the mercy of the drivers.  
 The anarchy in the transport sector is a chronic malaise that warrants immediate remedy. The authorities concerned should be proactive about it. The errant drivers must be made accountable. They should behave responsibly while sitting at the steering wheels. It is usually seen that whenever an accident takes place, the driver of the vehicle escapes unhurt. If he is arrested, he soon gets released on bail in the face of agitation by transport workers. The culture of impunity should be brought to an end.  
There should be a provision for harsher punishment for the errant drivers. If it is implemented, drivers will drive vehicles maintaining discipline for fear of punishment. For achieving the millennium development goal, road accidents should be reduced drastically.  

 

Minimising road accidents

Road accident has become a formidable national problem

The Road Transport and Bridges Minister, Obaidul Quader, at a workshop underscored the need for strict implementation of laws to bring back discipline in the transport sector and thus reduce road crashes, according to a report in this newspaper recently. That road accidents are increasing in the country should become an issue of prime concern. Hardly a day passes without a road accident. A number of celebrated personalities lost their lives on the street in the past. It has become a formidable national problem recently. At least 8,642 people were killed and 21,855 others injured in around 6,581 road accidents that occurred across the country in 2015. That shows on average 25/26 people were killed in road mishaps every day. Operation of faulty vehicles, pitiable conditions of roads and highways, hazardous road turns, unskilled drivers at the steering wheels, reckless driving and sheer violation of traffic rules have been identified as some of the causes of road accidents. Many an accident took place in the country in the past mainly due to the recklessness of drivers. Taking advantage of the lax vigilance of the members of the law enforcement agencies, many vehicles, particularly buses that are not road worthy have been pressed into service and those are plying the roads without any hindrance. The driving skills of the people at the steering wheels of these vehicles are dubious, to say the least. Many drivers show scant respect to traffic rules. It seems that the passengers of these vehicles are at the mercy of the drivers. The anarchy in the transport sector is a chronic malaise that warrants immediate remedy. The authorities concerned should be proactive about it. The errant drivers must be made accountable. They should behave responsibly while sitting at the steering wheels. It is usually seen that whenever an accident takes place, the driver of the vehicle escapes unhurt. If he is arrested, he soon gets released on bail in the face of agitation by transport workers. The culture of impunity should be brought to an end. There should be a provision for harsher punishment for the errant drivers. If it is implemented, drivers will drive vehicles maintaining discipline for fear of punishment. For achieving the millennium development goal, road accidents should be reduced drastically.