Avoidable road accidents

The death of 38 passengers and injury to 20 more in one of the worst road accidents at Baraigram upazila of Natore, has once again confirmed the fragile road-safety standard in the country. What a disgrace the country once again holds the dubious record of the highest road accidents and casualties in the world! About 7,000 people are killed in road and highway accidents annually, although the government estimate puts the figure at 4,000. Underreporting is the reason for this gap. Experts have found that all the grave accidents are those involving head-on collision. This is indication enough that there is a tendency on the part of drivers to overtake other vehicles even when the risk is great. Goods-laden trucks run slowly but once they are empty they just fly past any other vehicle. In both conditions, they are an open invitation for accidents. Not only do the goods-laden trucks move too slowly to make room for passenger buses to overtake, they also obstruct vision with enormous load hanging sideways.

So, how can accidents on account of overtaking be prevented or at least minimised? Some people have suggested that road divider is an answer to the problem. One cannot be sure if such structure will be able to greatly reduce road accidents but about one thing there is no doubt that the possibility of two vehicles colliding head-on will mostly disappear. As long as the dependence on road communication remains to be overwhelming, there is no alternative to increasing the lanes and putting in place road dividers. More lanes mean slow-moving vehicles can have designated ones for their movement without ever obstructing the fast moving vehicles. When the merit of four lanes is unquestionable, the conversion of the Dhaka-Chittagong Highway into such a one has been taking an inordinately long delay. True, the political turmoil last time has impeded works but that should not be an excuse for delaying the task still further. After all, other highways are turning busier and they should as well be converted to four lanes.

In this connection, the authorities' initiative to identify the black spots (road defects, infrastructure-wise) and address those comes as a welcome relief. But more needs to be done. Infrastructural inadequacy can to some extent be overcome if the men behind the steering wheel are educated, trained and motivated enough to make human life count. Their approach to their profession is casual, to say the least. That the above requisites are crucial is best illustrated by the fact that the luxurious air-conditioned buses of the reputed companies have an enviable track record when it comes to accidents. Perhaps such buses have no record of accidents. This is no mystery; rather the reason behind this is sound enough. Drivers of those buses are educated, trained, well-paid and moreover have ample rests before they sit behind the steering wheel. All of these conditions are absent in case of cheaper buses. Sleepless and tired, drivers of those buses cannot do justice to their skills and training. The authorities should look into such matters in order to avoid accidents.