ROADS have remained as fatal as ever amidst a lack of measures to control the road regime. The death of about 15–20 people a day in road accidents on an average points to the criminal negligence of the authorities. Various organisations make lists of accidents and fatalities, identify problems and recommend solutions and the government acknowledges them and promises to address the situation but fails to deliver on the promises. In October, at least 437 people died and 681 became wounded, as a Passenger Welfare Association of Bangladesh report says, in 429 accidents on roads, railways and waterways. Road accidents left 372 of them dead, railway accidents 53 and waterway accidents 12; two, however, went missing in waterway accidents. More than a third of road accidents and death involved motorcycles — 144 death in 131 motorcycle accidents, which is 33.56 per cent of total fatalities and 30.53 per cent of total accidents. Among the victims, the highest of 109 people were transport workers, followed by 36 pedestrians, 19 students and 26 children. The report shows that the highest number of road accidents occurred in the Dhaka division — with 141 having died in 134 accidents.

The report identifies reckless driving, over-speeding, dangerous overtaking, road construction defects, unfit vehicles, lack of footpaths, carelessness of passengers and pedestrians, unskilled drivers, sudden entrance of vehicles from feeder roads on level crossings and highways, an increasing number of small vehicles and a lack of service lanes on highways as reasons for the accidents. About 85 per cent of the road accidents were caused by over-speeding and reckless overtaking, which can be attributed to poor driving skills and a disregard for traffic rules. While road safety experts have for long pointed out that there should be enough and effective driving schools with qualified instructors to produce skilled drivers, the situation has not improved and unlicensed driving continues. The Road Transport Authority record shows that almost a half of the registered motor vehicles are run by unskilled drivers without driving licences. In most railway accidents, it is found that unguarded level crossings — about 50 per cent level crossings are unguarded — were the main reason for accidents while accidents in the waterways are generally attributed to overloading and a lack of safety measures. All this suggests criminal negligence on part of the authorities on an issue that continues to take a heavy toll of lives.

The government must, therefore, deliver on its promises to discipline the road regime. It must enforce the Road Transport Act and adequately address issues such as unskilled, unlicensed and rash driving, unfit vehicles, road construction defects, unguarded level crossings and others. The transport authorities must ensure that no unskilled driver gets a driving licence while the road administration must ensure that no one runs a vehicle without a licence.