Staff Reporter: 439 people lost their lives in 417 accidents on roads and highways in the country last November. Compared to last October, the number of accidents has increased by more than 32 percent this month, and the death toll has increased by more than 14 percent. Compared to last September, the number of accidents has increased by more than 52 percent. Compared to that month, the number of deaths due to accidents in November has increased by more than 44 percent.

This information came up in the report of the Road Safety Foundation on Saturday (December 5). The report is based on information from seven national dailies, five online news portals and electronic media.

Identifying the main cause of the accident, the foundation has also made 10 recommendations to prevent the accident.

The report added that 304 people were killed and 492 injured in 273 road accidents across the country in September. The number of accidents across the country rose to 314 in October. 384 people died and 694 were injured in these accidents. In November, the number of accidents in the country was 417, the death toll has risen to 439 people. However, the number of injured in road accidents in November is 12 less than in October - 682 people.

Compared to October, the number of accidents in November was 32.80 percent and the death toll was 14.62 percent. Compared to September, the number of accidents has increased by 52.74 percent in November and the death toll has increased by 44.40 percent.

A total of 439 people were killed in road accidents in November, including 64 women and 53 children. And among the road accidents, more deaths have occurred in motorcycle accidents alone. A total of 141 people were killed in 128 motorcycle accidents this month, accounting for 32.11 percent of the total deaths. The rate of motorcycle accidents is 30.69 percent.

Meanwhile, 116 pedestrians were killed in the accident, which is 26.42 percent of the total deaths. The driver and assistant of the vehicle were killed 49 times, which is 11.16 percent of the total deaths. Three people were killed and eight injured in four boat accidents during this period. At least 32 people were killed and seven others injured in 29 railway accidents.

The accident involved 30 bus passengers, eight truck passengers, 11 pickup passengers, four microbus passengers, nine ambulance passengers, two trolley passengers, three people in the lorry, 12 CNG passengers, 62 easybike-autorickshaw passengers and 28 passengers. Nasimon-Bhatvati-Tempu passengers, two cyclists, six rickshaw-rickshaw passengers, two school van passengers and three powertiller-Algaman passengers were killed.

The main causes of road accidents in the country are:

1. Defective vehicles

2. Reckless speed

3. Drivers' reckless mentality, incompetence and physical and mental illness

4. Salary and working hours are not fixed

5. Low speed traffic on the highway

6. Young people reckless motorcycling

7. The tendency of the public not to know and not to obey the traffic laws

8. Poor traffic management

9. Lack of capacity of BRTA

10 Extortion in public transport sector

Recommendations:

1. Initiatives to create skilled drivers need to be increased

2. The driver's salary and working hours must be specified

3. The capacity of BRTA needs to be enhanced

4. Ensure uninterrupted application of traffic laws to transport owners, workers, passengers and pedestrians

5. Separate sidewalks should be made for them by stopping the movement of low speed vehicles on the highway

6. Road dividers should be constructed on all highways in phases

7. Extortion on public transport must be stopped

8. The pressure on roads should be reduced by renovating and expanding railways and waterways

9. Sustainable transportation strategies need to be formulated and implemented

10. We have to ensure proper implementation of "Road Transport Act-2018"

The organization further said that the rate of accidents and deaths is gradually increasing. Although the accident rate on national highways has always been higher, the rate of accidents on regional and rural roads has increased in November as compared to national highways. The death toll among motorcyclists and pedestrians has risen sharply. Ignorance, negligence and lack of enforcement of traffic laws are the main reasons for this.