Road crashes killed 4,628 people in 2019
Furthermore, 8,612 others, including 613 women and 399 children, were injured in 4,219 accidents last year
At least 4,628 people, including 585 women and 754 children, were killed in 4,219 road accidents across the country last year.
The fatal accidents took place on the several highways, national highways and national, inter-district and regional roads between January 1 and December 31 in 2019.
Furthermore, 8,612 others, including 613 women and 399 children, were injured in the accidents, according to the Shipping and Communication Reporters Forum (SCRF). The Annual Road Accident Report 2019 was based on news carried by 24 national dailies, 10 regional newspapers and nine online news portals and news agencies, said a press release.
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According to the report, the number of road mishaps and injuries had decreased last year compared to 2018. However, the number of deaths in accidents increased.
In 2018, a total of 4,580 people were killed and 10,828 others injured in 4,317 road crashes, the report said.
SCRF President Ashis Kumar Dey said that majority of the road accidents occurred due to careless driving by heavy vehicle drivers.
"There is a lack of proper monitoring and supervision of the authorities concerned in this regard," he added.
According to the report, 411 people, including 53 women and 71 children, lost lives and 725 others received injuries in 383 accidents last January. Some 401 accidents occurred in February last year when 415 people were killed and 884 others injured.
In March, 386 people were killed and 820 others injured in 384 road accidents.
Some 327 accidents occurred in April which claimed 340 lives and left 610 others injured. In May, 338 people lost their lives and 504 others received injuries in 297 accidents.
A total of 367 road accidents took place in June claiming the lives of 439 people and leaving 818 others injured. Some 311 road mishaps happened in July when 348 people, were killed and 513 others received injuries.
In August, 398 people lost lives and 823 others injured in 337 road crashes.
A total of 367 road accidents took place in September 2019, claiming the lives of 367 people and leaving 828 others injured.
Some 356 road mishaps happened in October when 398 people were killed and 667 others received injuries.
According to the report, 342 people lost lives and 725 others received injuries in 342 accidents in November last year. In December, 446 people died and 681 others injured in 389 road crashes.
The report observed that increasing the number of small and locally made mechanised vehicles on regional roads and inter-district roads and highways, extortion in several stages, displeasure of transport workers and over all anarchy in the road transport sector were the other causes of road accidents.
SCRF also identified some reasons behind the decrease in accidents: growing public awareness, arranging different programmes against road accidents by different social organizations, increased responsibility of police personnel and mobile courts against faulty vehicles and fake driving licenses, and identifying different risky turning points and establishing cautionary signs at those spots.
