Road crashes killed 564, injured 1,094 last month

A total of 486 road accidents occurred, resulting in 564 fatalities and 1,094 injuries in March this year, according to a report by Road Safety Foundation.

According to the foundation, a total of 194 people lost their lives in motorcycle crashes, and of them, 88 were women and 73 children. This accounts for 34.39 percent of total deaths during the reported period. The motorcycle accident rate was found to be 36.83 percent.

Additionally, 107 pedestrians lost their lives in accidents, accounting for 18.97 percent of the total deaths. Eighty-one drivers and helpers also lost their lives, making up 14.36 percent of the total deaths.

The report gathered information from various sources -- including nine national dailies, seven online news portals, and electronic media.

Furthermore, the report noted that six waterway accidents claimed the lives of eight people, while 19 railway accidents caused the death of 16 people and injuries to four others.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh Jatri Kalyan Samity documented 487 road accidents, which led to 538 deaths and 1,138 injuries.

The report also documented 53 train accidents, resulting in 47 fatalities and 15 injuries, as well as nine waterway accidents, which claimed seven lives and caused injuries to 14 individuals. Two people remained missing as a result of these waterway accidents.

In addition, 163 people lost their lives, and 97 were injured in 152 motorcycle crashes.

The statement from Bangladesh Jatri Kalyan Samity, signed by the organisation's secretary general Mozammel Haque Chowdhury, indicates that the report was prepared by monitoring news of accidents on roads, railways, and waterways that were published in national, regional, and online newspapers in the country.

                        The two organisations have identified multiple reasons for road crashes, such as defective vehicles, reckless driving, driver's incompetence, and physical or mental health problems.