5,619 students killed in road crashes in 5 years

At least 5,619 students have been killed in road crashes in the last five and a half years since 2019, the Road Safety Foundation said at a press conference yesterday.

The organisation said a total of 34,478 people were killed from 2019 to June this year, meaning 16.29 percent of all road crash victims were students.

Of the students who were victims of road crashes, 2,783 (49.52 percent) were either bikers or their pillions, they also said.

The foundation revealed the information marking the 13th anniversary of Mirsharai Tragedy Day.

At least 45 people, including 42 students, were killed on July 11, 2011 when a truck carrying 60 students skidded off the road and fell into a roadside ditch at Abu Torab in Chattogram's Mirsharai upazila.

The students were returning home following a school football match held in Mirsharai stadium.

The foundation demanded that the government observe the day nationally, to make students aware about road safety issues.

Speaking at a press conference at their Dhanmondi office, the foundation's Chairman Prof AI Mahbub Uddin Ahmed said the rate of students killed in road crashes is very alarming.

He said 2,641 (47 percent) victims were between 5-17 years old -- from different schools and madrasas -- while 2,978 (53 percent) were between 18-25 years old and were students of different colleges and universities.

Of the student victims, 1,534 (27.30 percent) were pedestrians and were killed by hit and run of vehicles, while 721 (12.83 percent) were travelling on vehicles, he said.

Around 497 (8.84 percent) were bicycle riders and 84 (1.49 percent) were killed after their clothes or scarves got stuck in auto-rickshaws, he also said.

He added that 611 students were killed in the first six months of this year, while 1,153 were killed in 2023; 1,437 in 2022; 1,006 in 2021; 719 in 2020 and 693 in 2019.

Also, 833 students were killed in the last five and half years after being hit by trains while crossing the tracks carelessly.

They found seven major reasons behind the road crashes including -- faulty roads and vehicles; lack of knowledge about safe road use and recklessness among student bikers.

The organisation also gave seven recommendations including the suggestion for a campaign at every institution about road safety, as well as halting operations of unsafe vehicles.

Saidur Rahman, executive director of the foundation, was present at the briefing, among others.