National
3 years ago

409 pedestrians killed in three months

Published :

Updated :

A total of 409 pedestrians were killed in 398 road accidents in three months from January to March this year across the country.

Among the dead victims, 66 were women and 97 children while 246 were males, according to a report by Road Safety Foundation (RSF).

The causes of such deaths have been mainly identified as reckless speed of vehicles, which was 61.80 per cent of total accidents, and negligence of pedestrians, which was 38. 19 per cent, as per the report.

Citing the media data, the RSF report unveiled that some 213 (53.51 per cent) accidents occurred while walking and some 185 (46.48 per cent) accidents took place while crossing the roads.

The death toll among the pedestrians aged between 3-10-year was some 23.46 per cent, between 11–25-year-old as some 19.23 per cent, between 26–50-year-old as 32.30 per cent, between 51-70- year-old as 21.92 and over 71-year-old as 3.07 per cent.

The highest number of deaths took place in Dhaka division. Some 33.72 per cent of people died in Dhaka division, the report showed.

The lowest one was in Sylhet with 4.70 per cent of deaths.

Total 123 (30.90 per cent) accidents occurred on highways, 95 (23.86 per cent) on regional roads, 119 (29.89 per cent) on rural roads, 57 (14. 32 per cent) on urban roads and 4 (1.0 per cent) on other places.

The RSF prepared the report based on news items of seven national dailies, five online news portals and visual media.

The RSF observed that rash driving, lack of skills, mental and physical sickness, reckless bike ride by youths, improper traffic management system, lack of awareness about traffic laws, lack of foot over- bridges in proper place in the city, reluctance of pedestrians to use existing foot over-bridges, the habit of pedestrians recklessly walking and crossing the road, talking on mobile phones, listening to music and chatting while walking and crossing the street and lack of knowledge about safe movement on the road and irresponsible mentality among the people were responsible for the mishaps.

It recommended increasing skilled drivers and enforcement of the existing laws to check road accidents in the country.

The RSF also suggested providing training and registration of drivers of locally made vehicles, regular motivational training of vehicle drivers, effective steps to prevent excessive speed, encouraging and compelling pedestrians to use the foot over-bridge and keeping footpaths and foot-over bridges free of hawkers.

[email protected]

 

Share this news