Harsh traffic laws
Wednesday, 15 December 2010
FATAL road accidents do take place almost daily across the country, particularly on its highways. Thousands of lives perish and many more are maimed for life such accidents every year. Records available with the police put the total death toll in about 70,000 road accidents at nearly 130,000 between 1994 and 2008. The actual number of deaths would be more since a good number of accidents go unrecorded. The incidence of fatal road accidents is frequent in the absence of any remedial measures from the authorities concerned. As such, the people, except for the relatives of the victims, these days, are otherwise found to be not much emotionally disturbed even by major road accidents. Then again, the media also, because of their high frequency, do not attach much importance to such accidents, in contrast to the coverage of rail, plane and passenger launch accidents.
But the fact that rising incidence of road accidents has emerged as a serious problem, remains uncontestable. The reasons for frequent road accidents are very much known to all, including the people manning the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) and the Bangladesh Police, two organizations directly responsible for the management of road transport sector. Reckless driving, indifference of the law enforcers to punish the breakers of Motor Vehicle Act, which -- of course contains lot of lacunas -- are the major causes of road accidents at such close frequency. People tend to believe that the police and the BRTA, for plausible reasons, deliberately overlook the offences committed by owners and drivers of buses and trucks. Besides, allegations have it that a section of police officials and some influential people, being the 'benami' owners of buses and trucks, scuttle any move to strictly enforce the relevant laws and rules against rogue drivers and owners of road transports.
The relatives of road accident victims, experts and people in general have made repeated demands for putting into effect a tough law providing death penalty for drivers, found guilty of causing fatal accidents. But the government has so far been unresponsive. Meanwhile, more and more deaths are occurring on roads and highways across the country. It is high time for the authorities concerned to look into the issue with due seriousness since a person none other than the head of the state, speaking at a function in Dhaka on December 12 last, underscored the need for making the traffic laws stringent enough to give due punishment to violators. The President felt that trial of the persons responsible for taking lives of passengers and pedestrians under stringent laws could help reduce the number of road accidents.
In this context, it is to be noted reasons such as non-availability of manpower and logistics, besides those of weak laws and lax enforcement, are often cited as reasons for poor operations by the personnel of the department concerned. While toughening the existing laws to effectively deal with rogue drivers of motor vehicles, the government will, therefore, have also to improve the operational capability of BRTA and the traffic police. It should even think about establishing an independent traffic police department for the entire country that would work in close coordination with the BRTA. But much would depend on the efficiency, sincerity and competence of the people who are entrusted with the responsibility of making the roads and highways safe and secure for passengers, pedestrians and also drivers of motor vehicles.
But the fact that rising incidence of road accidents has emerged as a serious problem, remains uncontestable. The reasons for frequent road accidents are very much known to all, including the people manning the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) and the Bangladesh Police, two organizations directly responsible for the management of road transport sector. Reckless driving, indifference of the law enforcers to punish the breakers of Motor Vehicle Act, which -- of course contains lot of lacunas -- are the major causes of road accidents at such close frequency. People tend to believe that the police and the BRTA, for plausible reasons, deliberately overlook the offences committed by owners and drivers of buses and trucks. Besides, allegations have it that a section of police officials and some influential people, being the 'benami' owners of buses and trucks, scuttle any move to strictly enforce the relevant laws and rules against rogue drivers and owners of road transports.
The relatives of road accident victims, experts and people in general have made repeated demands for putting into effect a tough law providing death penalty for drivers, found guilty of causing fatal accidents. But the government has so far been unresponsive. Meanwhile, more and more deaths are occurring on roads and highways across the country. It is high time for the authorities concerned to look into the issue with due seriousness since a person none other than the head of the state, speaking at a function in Dhaka on December 12 last, underscored the need for making the traffic laws stringent enough to give due punishment to violators. The President felt that trial of the persons responsible for taking lives of passengers and pedestrians under stringent laws could help reduce the number of road accidents.
In this context, it is to be noted reasons such as non-availability of manpower and logistics, besides those of weak laws and lax enforcement, are often cited as reasons for poor operations by the personnel of the department concerned. While toughening the existing laws to effectively deal with rogue drivers of motor vehicles, the government will, therefore, have also to improve the operational capability of BRTA and the traffic police. It should even think about establishing an independent traffic police department for the entire country that would work in close coordination with the BRTA. But much would depend on the efficiency, sincerity and competence of the people who are entrusted with the responsibility of making the roads and highways safe and secure for passengers, pedestrians and also drivers of motor vehicles.