576 road accidents in March leave 532 dead, 2,221 hurt: RSF

A total of 532 people died and 2,221 others were injured in 576 road accidents across the country during March, according to a report unveiled by the Road Safety Foundation (RSF) on Saturday.
The RSF, a training and advocacy platform to promote road safety in Bangladesh, prepared the report by compiling news reports from national dailies, online portals and electronic media.
According to the findings, of the total casualties in the month, at least 98 were children. Children accounted for nearly one in five of the fatalities.

The report said that 66 women were also among the dead due to the accidents.
Motorbike accidents emerged as the single biggest killer, claiming 204 lives, over 38 per cent of the total deaths.
Pedestrians, often among the most exposed road users, made up 79 more victims, or nearly 15 per cent of the total fatalities.
The report also highlighted that 66 drivers and their assistants were killed.
Waterway accidents numbering 14 claimed 12 lives and left 27 people injured.
Railway-related crashes totaling 48 killed 67 people and injured 224 others during the said month.
Most accidents occurred on regional roads, which accounted for nearly 46 per cent of crashes, followed by national highways at around 30 per cent.
A significant number of accidents were linked to vehicles losing control, responsible for over 40 per cent of accidents.
The RSF further said that Dhaka division recorded the highest number of fatalities with 137 deaths from 126 accidents, while the capital alone saw 28 deaths in 46 crashes.
The report noted a rise in daily fatalities, with an average of 17.16 per cent deaths per day in March, up from 15.42 per cent in February, an increase of more than 11 per cent.
It said that excessive speed, reckless driving, unfit vehicles and poor road conditions were identified as major reasons for road accidents.
The RSF advocated for strict enforcement of laws, introducing technology-based monitoring system and providing better training to the drivers aiming to curb the rising death toll.
talhabinhabib@yahoo.com