Road crashes have become an epidemic all over Bangladesh. Slow-moving vehicles have been banned on the highways. Dividers have been installed. Many bends on highways have been straightened out. There are laws in place, too. But even so, road crashes seem to keep happening every day. Five members of the same family were killed by a pickup vehicle while crossing the road on February 8 in Chakaria upazila in Cox's Bazar. Locals say the main reason for the crash was that the driver of the pickup van could not control its speed.

There is no reason to continue to claim that the excessive loss of lives on our roads are mere accidents. Many irregularities take place on the road, such as competitive driving and drivers talking on the phone while driving. Experts say that not driving within the speed limit is also one of the major causes of road crashes. The speed limit for vehicles should be enforced by law to prevent road accidents. If proper measures are taken by authorities, it will be possible to reduce crashes and save lives.