Road safety remains still elusive in the country as yearly data of Nirapad Sarak Chai (NSC) showed an increasing trend of accidents in 2020 despite low traffic flow for several months during coronavirus pandemic.
In a report shared during a press conference at the National Press Club in the city on Wednesday, NSC Chairman Illias Kanchan said total 4,092 road, rail and waterway accidents taking lives of 4,969 people and injuring 5,085 others were recorded during the last 12 months.
Road accidents were on the top of the list recording 3232 cases with 3800 casualties and 4954 injuries, he added.
He said the number of total accidents decreased by only 12 per cent last year compared to 2019.
"It cannot be taken into account with satisfaction when traffic was almost halted in the country several months since March due to Covid-19 situation," said the film actor cum road safety campaigner at the conference.
Showing month-wise and yearly data, he also said when casualties in 2019 decreased by 16 per cent from 2018, it is recorded 18 per cent decrease in 2020 from 2019 despite traffic movement restriction.
"How long will we have to wait for safe road and safe lives?' he asked the authorities concerned questioning their activities to ensure road safety in the country in a real sense.
Kanchan said drivers account for 28 per cent of the total victims of accidents. Of the total dead, 1266 were drivers.
Motorcycle crashes topped the list of total 877 accidents with total 1,127 casualties, he added.
Truck accidents involving drivers were found second in the list.
Total 931 truck accidents took place, killing 79 drivers and helpers.
Total 194 drivers of tractors, pickup vans, human haulers including Nasiman and Karimun became victims of accidents last year.
NSC, a movement for road safety, compiled the data from media reports and found that the numbers of accidents in the first three months were high recording 447, 365, 379 in January, February and March.
The number was, however, dropped to 132 in April but started increasing afterward with recording 196 and 260 in May and June despite less traffic.
Highest road accidents were recorded in Dhaka district followed by Mymensingh recording total 237 and 152 respectively in 2020.
Ilias Kanchan said the accident trend continues to rise with fatalities due to lack of monitoring by the authorities concerned, reckless driving by drivers, lack of trained drivers, following traffic rules, increase in motorcycle use, construction fault in roads and highways, illegal occupation of roads and footpath.
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