Child deaths increase by 16.6 per cent in road accidents: SCRF

The number of children killed in road crashes in Bangladesh has increased by 16.6 per cent in the second quarter (April-June) of this year compared to the first three months, according to a media organisation report released on Friday, reports UNB.
The death of women in road accident decreased by 8.53 per cent during the same period compared to the fatalities in first quarter of the year, according to a report of Shipping and Communication Reporters Forum (SCRF).
On the other hand, the rate of motorcycle accidents increased by 5.12 per cent, but the fatality rate decreased by 12.08 per cent.
In total, the rate of killed and injured in during April-June period declined by 4.71 and 20.06 per cent respectively compared to the previous three months, the report said.
The SCRF published this information after 6 months of monitoring and reviewing data on road accidents from January to June.
The organisation said that the report has been prepared based on the information published in 12 Bengali national dailies, five English national dailies, nine online news portals and news agencies and six regional dailies.
According to the report, at least 2,898 people were killed and 4,720 injured in 2,781 road crashes across the country in the first half of the year.
Of those, 1,484 people were killed and 2,485 injured in 1,302 accidents in the first three months. In the following three months, 1,414 people were killed and 2,235 injured in 1,479 accidents respectively.
The review shows that the rate of killed and injured in the last three months has decreased by 4.71 and 20.06 per cent respectively compared to the previous three months.
The report said, 404 women and 455 children lost their lives in six months. It could be seen that the mortality rate of women and children is 13.94 and 15.7 per cent respectively. Among them, 211 women were killed on the roads in the first three months and 193 women in the next three months. As a result, the female mortality rate has decreased by 8.53 per cent.
During the same period, 210 children lost their lives in the first three months, but 245 children were killed in the next three months. The review shows that the infant mortality rate has increased by 16.66 per cent.
On the other hand, 1,088 people were killed in 1,079 motorcycle accidents in six months, which is 38.79 and 37.54 per cent of total accidents and fatalities respectively.
Among those, 579 people were killed in 527 accidents in the first three months and 509 people were killed in 552 accidents in the next three months, the report said.
The review shows that while the motorcycle accident rate increased by 5.12 per cent in the last three months compared to the first three months, the fatality rate decreased by 12.08 per cent.
According to SCRF report, 377 pedestrians were killed in road accidents in six months; which is 23.36 per cent of total accidents. Of these, 370 people were killed from January to March and 307 people were killed in the three months from April to June. The review shows that the pedestrian fatality rate decreased by 17.02 percent over a three-month period.