4622 People Killed in Motorcycle Accidents Last 3 Years

Accidents are happening every day on reckless motorcycles all over the country. The number of deaths and injuries in these accidents is increasing. In the last three years, 4,648 motorcycle accidents have occurred and 4,622 people were killed in these accidents. Of these, 2,214 people were killed in 2,078 accidents in the outgoing year 2021. In the previous year 2020, 1,463 people were killed in 1,381 accidents. Besides, 945 people were killed in 1,189 motorcycle accidents in the country in 2019. The following year, in 2020, the death toll rose to 1,463; Where 1361 accidents occurred.

In the last 2021, 2,214 people were killed in 2078 motorcycle accidents. In all, 4722 people have died in 4648 motorcycle accidents in the last three years. Compared to 2019, the death rate has increased by 134 percent last year. This information was given by a non-governmental organization called Road Safety Foundation at a press conference at Dhaka Reporters' Unity (DRU) in the capital few days ago.

According to the organization, there have been 5,371 road accidents in the country since the year 2021. 6264 people died and 7468 people were injured. Of these, 2,214 people were killed in 2078 motorcycle accidents, which is 35.23 percent of the total deaths. A total of 798 people, including 1,523 pedestrians, 927 women, 734 children and drivers and assistants were killed. The report is based on information from six national dailies, five online news portals and television channels.

Compared to 2019, the number of motorcycle accidents has increased by 16.14 percent and the death toll has increased by 54.81 percent in 2020. Compared to 2020, the number of motorcycle accidents has increased by 50.47 percent and the death toll has increased by 51.33 percent in 2021. In addition, in the last year 2021, there were 2078 motorcycle accidents, 2,214 people were killed and 1,309 injured. Of the dead, 74.39 per cent were between 14 and 45 years of age.

The Road Safety Foundation's observation and analysis shows that 2014 (36.49 percent) of accidents occurred on national highways, 1670 (31.09 percent) on regional roads, 954 (17.76 percent) on rural roads, and 665 (12.38 percent) on city roads. Elsewhere, 68 (1.26 percent) occurred. Accidents resulted in 1,057(19.67 percent) head-on collisions, 1,813 (33.75 per cent) loss of control, 1566 (29.15 per cent) pedestrians being crushed, 822 (15.30 percent) hitting the back of vehicles and 113 (2.10 percent) for other reasons.

According to the organization, compared to 2019, the number of accidents has increased by 0.89 percent in 2020, the number of deaths has increased by 4.22 percent and the number of injured has increased by 3.88 percent. Compared to 2020, the number of accidents has increased by 13.43 percent in 2021, the death toll has increased by 15.70 percent and the number of injured has increased by 1.20 percent. However, in the three years 2019, 2020 and 2021, the number of accidents and deaths other than motorcycle accidents is almost the same. The total number of accidents and deaths in 2020 and 2021 has increased mainly due to the increasing number of motorcycle accidents and deaths.

The majority of motorcyclists are teenagers and young adults. The organization also mentioned the reasons for the increase in motorcycle accidents and deaths. The issue of not knowing and not obeying the traffic law is strong. Adolescents are recklessly riding motorcycles, getting themselves into accidents and attacking others. Motorcycle culture has grown tremendously in the country under the patronage of rogue politics. These motorcyclists are moving recklessly on the roads and highways. The number of pedestrians killed due to their reckless motorcycle collision is also increasing.

A large proportion of motorcycle accidents occur in truck, covered van, pickup and bus collisions, crushes and head-on collisions. Most of the drivers of these high speed vehicles are incompetent and ill. As a result of their reckless driving, those who are riding motorcycles carefully are also getting into accidents.

Motorcycles are 30 times more risky than 4 wheelers. But due to improved and accessible public transport system in the country and traffic congestion, people are being encouraged to use motorcycles and accidents are increasing. Speakers at the event said Japan is controlling motorcycles in its own country. But it has made our country an investment field. All countries in the world are now reducing the number of motorcycles. We should also control motorcycles in our country.

The organization has made several recommendations on the causes of road accidents. These include faulty vehicles, reckless speed, driver incompetence and physical and mental illness, unpaid wages and working hours, slow speeding on highways, reckless motorcycling of young people, propensity for the public not to know and disobey traffic laws, poor traffic management. BRTA's lack of capacity and extortion in the public transport sector. The organization has also made several recommendations. These include increasing the number of skilled drivers, increasing the working hours of drivers, increasing the capacity of BRTA’s, ensuring proper enforcement of traffic laws for transport owners, workers, passengers and pedestrians, stopping low speed vehicles on highways and setting up separate lanes for them. (Service lanes) should be created, road dividers should be constructed on all highways in phases, extortion in public transport should be stopped, pressure on roads should be reduced by reforming railways and waterways, sustainable transport strategy should be formulated, 'Road Transport Act-2018' should be implemented without hindrance.

Source: Daily Manabjamin