Road Accident in Bangladesh

ENG 102
Composition and Communication Skills

SEC 28

Submitted By

Maisha Jahin Kaba

ID: 2019-2-22-025

Nowrin Anjum Hridita

ID: 2019-1-10-030

Md Mustafizur Rahman
ID: 2019-2-22-014

Submitted To:

Tamanna Sharmin Kabir (TSK)

Lecturer,

Department of English

Date of submission:
3rd November, 2019
 Declaration

We, hereby declare that this term paper is true, accurate and free of plagiarism. We have

acknowledged all the sources that we have used.

Name: Signature:

Maisha Jahin Kaba

Nowrin Anjum

Md Mustafizur Rahman

ii | P a g e
 Acknowledgement

We would like to thank all the participants who gave their valuable information and helped us

to complete this term paper on Road Accident in Bangladesh. We would like to thank our

honorable course instructor Tamanna Sharmin Kabir for her guideline and support.

iii | P a g e
 Index

Serial No. Topic Page

i Declaration ii
ii Acknowledgement iii
iii Index iv
iv Abstract v
v Introduction vii
vi What is Road Accident?
vii Types of Road Accident in Bangladesh
ix How and Why It Happens
x After Effects of Road Accident
xi Initiatives Taken by Government and People
xii
xiii

Abstract

All of us are familiar with the term road accident. road accident is a serious issue for a

developing country like ours. Almost every day, every month and every year, at least one or

more accidents occur on roads which keeps a dangerous impact on the social infrastructure of

Bangladesh as well as its economy. Due to each accident happening, one or more injury

occurs daily and most of the cases death occurs. The death rate is also increasing due to road

accidents a lot. We are loosing our valuable human resource at this and also economical loss

is going on. So, in order to lessen the rate of road accidents and death rate due to this, we all

should come forward with solutions. In our term paper, we are going to discuss about types of

iv | P a g e
road accidents, what are the causes of it, its after effects and we are trying to find out some

solutions of it.

Road Accident in Bangladesh

v|Page
 Introduction

Road accidents in Bangladesh is a prominent issue now a days. The huge number of injury

and death due to road accident reveals the story of global crisis of road safety. By the figure

of World Health Organization (WHO 2016), about 1.25 million people die each year as a

result

of road accident around the world. With the number of vehicles rapidly rising in developing

countries, this epidemic is quickly worsening in low and middle-income countries is on its

way to becoming the third leading cause of death and disabilities by the year 2020. World

vi | P a g e
Health Organization also shows that 90% of worlds fatalities on the roads occurring in

developing countries.

The loss in road accident is enormous in economy and health related issues. Low and middle-

income countries suffer from a significant percentage of preventable deaths and injuries from

road collisions.

The rapid growth in population, motorization, urbanization, reckless driving, speeding and

lack of investment in road safety are some of the important causes of road accident in

Bangladesh. Besides government and other non-government organization, the general

citizens of Bangladesh, social workers are playing effecting role to protest against as well as

reducing road accidents.

What is Road Accident?

A road accident is a term that refers to any type of accidents or collision of vehicles with

human or with any other vehicles on roads. It includes the involvement of passerby or

running vehicles in which at least one person is injured, hurt or killed accidentally. The

incident of road accident does not usually happen or caused by humans intentionally.

vii | P a g e
A road accident occurs when a vehicle collides with another vehicles, pedestrian, animals and

debris or other stationary obstruction such as a tree or pole. Road accidents may result in

injury, death and poverty damage. In general, an unplanned and unexpected event which

occurs suddenly and causes injury or loss, a decrease in value of the resources is called an

accident. A road accident refers to any to any accident involving at least one person is injured

or killed. Injured persons are accident victims having suffered trauma requiring medical

treatment with or without hospitalization. The falling down of a pedestrian is not a road

accident, but that of a rider of a bicycle. Intentional acts like murder, suicide and natural

disaster are also excluded from road accident.

Thus, road accident is collisions between vehicles, between vehicles and pedestrians, between

vehicles and animals, or between vehicles and fixed obstacles. A number of factors contribute

to the risk of collision, including vehicles design, speed of operation, road design, road

environment, driver skill and impairment due to alcohol or drugs. Motor vehicles accidents

lead to death and disability as well as financial costs to both society and the individuals

involved.

Types of Road Accident in Bangladesh

 Common types of road accident in perspective of Bangladesh:

 Vehicles rare-end collision: A rare-end collision occurs when a vehicle

crashes into the one in front of it. Common factors contributing to rare-end

collisions include driver intention or distraction or panic steps.

viii | P a g e
 Side-impact collision: A side-impact collisions, as opposite to a frontal

crash or a rare-end collision. It occurs when at least one vehicle involved in

an accident is impacted on its side or near-side, at any angle other than

directly in front or directly behind.

 Vehicle rollover: A rollover is a type of vehicle crash in which a vehicle

tips over onto its side or root. Rollovers has a higher fatality rate than other

types of vehicle collision.

 Sideswipe collision: Sideswipe collision between two vehicles that are

travelling in the same direction where the right side of one vehicle impact

with the left side of the other. There collisions typically occur because one of

two vehicles involved moved out of the lane it was travelling when it was

unsafe to do so.

 Head on collision: A head on collisions is a traffic collision where the front

end of two vehicles such as cars, trains, ships or planes hit each other when

travelling from opposite directions.

 Single vehicle collision: Single vehicle collision is a type of road traffic

collision in which only one vehicle is involved.

 Multiple vehicles pile up: Multiple vehicle pile up is an accident in which

several vehicles crash into each other. Damage to many vehicles and lives

makes this kind of accident one of the deadliest traffic accident since some

vehicles are not only hit once but multiple times from different directions.

ix | P a g e
 How and Why It Happens

 Construction of roads:

 Lack of maintenance of roadway: Lack of proper maintenance has

battered the existing roadway condition. Most of the 20,000 kilometers

network of major roads in the country has become potholed due to lack of

maintenance. Dilapidated road condition badly managed intersections,

disrespect to traffic rules and overwhelming number of vehicles have not

only turned the country’s highways extremely dangerous but also increase

travel time between the capital and the rest of the country. Due to lack of

repair and routine maintenance, highway and intra-district roads have

developed numerous potholes, pushing up the frequency of accidents,

vehicle maintenance cost and travel time. (The Daily Star,14th August)

 Curve of the road: Trimming of trees and road curves for clear vision,

construction of jungle bar and road islands at the bends through expanding

roads can significantly bring down the number of road accidents. Some

curves on major highways has no chevron sign, curve sign and rumble

strips to help drivers avoid collision. Besides the roadside trees in most

case block the drivers from viewing the road clearly.

 Risky spot left risky: The roads and highways department is yet to

introduce road safety to detect accident prone points on highways, where

road crashes claim several hundred lives every year. The Accident

Research Institute of Bangladesh University of Engineering and

Technology recently handed over a list of over 200 accident prone points,

x|Page
 termed as “Black Spots”, on 10 major highways to the communication

ministry. The Roads and Highway Department took no measures to take

care of the black spots. The ARI listed 22 black spots on Dhaka-Arica

highway, where 311 people died in road crashes between 1998 and 2007.

 Breaching of rules:

 Negligence of traffic police: The government set up the police unite to

ensure a safer highway network and a smooth traffic management system.

Even after 6 years in operation, the highway police remain almost inactive

due to shortage of man power and logistics. (The Daily Star, 16th August)

 Excessive and inappropriate speeding: In the built up the section of the

highways, speed differentials and the excessive speeds pose a serious

safety hazard. The average spot speed was 50-55 km/hr for all motorized

vehicles and average speed of the inter-district high standard buses was

around 70-75km/hr. lack of absence of the service roads and speed

reducing sings aggravate the safety situation. Vehicle speed has a profound

effect on road accidents. In Bangladesh, one of the main causes of accident

is aggressive speed. Aggressive vehicle speed reduces a driver’s ability to

negotiate curves on maneuver safety around obstacles in the road way,

extends the distance necessary for a vehicle to stop and increases the

distance a vehicle travels while the driver reacts to a hazard.

 Heavy vehicles in road accident: The issue of over-involvement of heavy

vehicles like trucks and buses in accidents and injuries are of particular

xi | P a g e
 concern in Bangladesh. Traffic safety priorities in most Asian countries

identified trucks and buses as major contributors to road accidents. In

Bangladesh, accident problems are predominately characterized by the

over involvement of trucks and buses including minibuses. Studies of road

accidents reveled that heavy vehicles, such as trucks and buses are major

contributors to road accident and fatal accidents, their shares are

buses/minibuses 35% and trucks 29% respectively. The group of vehicles

is particularly over involvement in pedestrian accidents accounting for

about 68%.

 Driver incompetency:

 Public transport drivers have no formal training they are excessively

overworked. Unqualified drivers get licenses through unfair means.

Reckless overtaking on a highway full of curves leads to frequent

accidents. Reckless driving, blind curves and little or no speed reducing

measures are on most of the highways in particular. The problem is made

worse by reckless driving and fearless overtaking on the crowded road.

Sometimes, helpers take over wheels with fake license or no training.

 When drivers are not properly trained and educated with basic knowledge,

road accident can happen.

 If drivers are not careful of traffic rules and unconscious of driving on

roads like engaged in phone calls while driving, not properly concentrated,

talking with passengers etc.

 Drivers having fake licenses are more responsible for road accident.

xii | P a g e
 Lack of strictness in traffic system:

 Wrong policy: The development history of road transport in Bangladesh,

particularly after the independence of the country, more focus was given in

developing road length and number of bridges by constructing new roads

and bridges and very insignificant consideration was given for the

maintenance and road safety. Road construction followed standard

geometrics with least concern for road safety. Implementing road safety

initiatives as a component or a sub-component of other large road

improvement projects resulted in lower attention by the concerned

authorities of project implementation.

 Lack of integration between concern agency: Road safety is a multi-

disciplinary issue and the concern of government at national, regional and

local levels, civil society and business. Road safety research is not an end

in itself and findings need to be shared, discussed, and applied in order for

the full benefits to be realized. Research findings can be disseminated

through seminars and training courses and through international

conferences.

 Institutional weakness: Road safety improvement efforts and initiatives

in Bangladesh seriously affected from several drawbacks and weakness in

particular institutional weakness. Lack of support, co-ordination, co-

operation, collaboration among safety stakeholder could be noted as the

leading barrier for institutional capacity building.

 Lag of traffic rules: The law enforcement bodies are so corrupted in

Bangladesh now a days that the police and other governing bodies in

charge of controlling traffic rules sometimes take bribes being selfish. All

xiii | P a g e
these causes a degradation in normal values of general people and an

overall system breakdown occurs. This results in loose and faulty traffic

system. In this way the criminals get chances of doing more offenses and it

influences the accidents on road. Also if the fine system for any crimes or

accidents done is not hard and strict, then road accidents can happen very

often out of loose punishment system.

xiv | P a g e
 After Effects of Road Accident

 Effects on victim and family:

The person or people who get injured may become physically handicapped

forever along with a huge loss of money and property. The person’s life

may get stuck at some point for a serious road accident which in turns

affects his/her family and personal life. He/she may die also. Besides all

these, the medical cost is a huge loss for them.

 Effects on country:

 When any accident occurs, it causes many problems such as roads get

stuck, public faces traffic jam and get late for works, social chaos occurs.

 When any important on intellectual person or students die due to road

accidents, it causes a serious damage for Bangladesh.

 After any mentionable road accident, when general people burst out in

protests, they cause economical damage for a country like burns different

vehicles out of anger and agitation to express their grieves.

 Due to road accidents, sometimes bridges, islands, flyovers get damaged

and crashed by vehicles. As a result, it adds economical loss for

Bangladesh.

xv | P a g e
xvi | P a g e
 Initiatives Taken by Government and People

 Adoption of National Land Transport Policy: National Land Transport

Policy(NLTP) has been adopted in2004 by the Planning Commission of

Bangladesh, which sets vision for “providing safer roads” and policies

therefor, such as (i) road safety auditing at all phases of road projects, road

construction and maintenance, (ii) speed restrictions on roads, (iii) safety

improvement of existing roads etc. which are needed to achieve the vision.

 Establishment of Accident Research Institute at BUET: In response to

the growing accident problems in Bangladesh, the concerned authorities

have started to realize the need for scientific study and research regarding

the causes of accident and commensurate remedial measures. The highest

level of commitment in this regard came from the Honorable Prime

Minister to establish an independent Accident Research Center (ARC)

within the top priority programs of the government. Accordingly, the ARC

has been established at Bangladesh University of Engineering and

Technology (BUET) in 2002. After the successful completion of project

period, ARC becomes an institute named Accident Research Institute

(ARI) under education ministry at BUET in 2007.

 Establishment of Highway Police: With the aim of increasing of safety

and improving traffic management on highways, the government of

Bangladesh created the Highway Police in 2005 with a view to maintain

and ensure discipline, enforce traffic rules and regulation on the highway,

traffic management, prevent highway crime, collect and disseminate of

intelligence, police patrolling as well as ensure safety on road etc.

xvii | P a g e
 Formation of Road Safety Voluntary and Advising Group: In

addiction to government organizations, many road safety non-government

voluntary or advisory groups have been formed at national, regional as

well as local levels in Bangladesh. Nirapod Sarak Chai, Work for Better

Bangladesh (WBB), Safe Community Foundation, Poribesh Bachao

Andolon etc. are pre-dominant at national level.

 Approval of Speed Limit Zoning and Speed Restriction Rules:

Excessive and inappropriate speed is the most important factor

contributing to the road injury problem faced by many countries.

Incognizance with these facts Speed Limit Zoning and Speed Restriction

Rules have been developed for different highways in Bangladesh. It has

been approved and published in a gazette by BRTA in 2005 (Bangladesh

Gazette,2005).

xviii | P a g e
 Some Precautions and Solutions to Prevent Road Accident

 Never drive when feeling tired or sleepy. Normally when we are returning from

days work, we are tired. There is good chance we may feel a bit sleepy. In that case

one should never drive because the chance of accident increases. It’s a good idea to

relax a bit and then drive or better take a taxi.

 Never drive under the influence of alcohol or other drugs which hamper the

ability of the brain. This one is a strict no-no. Under no circumstances one should

drive after consuming alcohol. If some one does it, he/she is risking his/her life and

also the life of others.

 Wear helmets and seatbelts while driving. This rule is the easiest one to follow and

has great benefits. This minimizes the effect in case of an accident.

 Never use mobile phone while driving. This rule is one of the most leniently

followed. It is very common to find people talking on their mobile phone while

driving. Talking on the mobile phone causes diversion of mind and in a flip second

one can lose control and that can cause accident.

 Jumping red signal can be fatal. Traffic signals are made for a purpose. If someone

jump a red signal, someone run the chance of getting hit by a vehicle coming from

other direction. Therefore, it’s a good idea to stop at red signal and move only when

its green.

 Drive slowly and carefully in bad weather. The chances of accident increased by

many folds in bad weather (rain, storm, snow etc.). Therefore, one should avoid

xix | P a g e
driving in bad weather but if that is not possible then one should drive very carefully

and slowly, otherwise he/she can get hurt.

xx | P a g e
 Primary Data Analysis

1. Percentage of Accident by Accident Severity:

Accidents

22.5

37.5

25.2

14.8

Fatal Grievous Simple Collision

2. Percentage of Casualties by Casualty Injury:

Casualty

17.5

50.4

32.1

Fatal Grievous Simple

xxi | P a g e
3. Percentage of Accidents by Collision Type:

Collision Type

0.3 8.2
23.3 7.8

5.5
3
1.25
2.26
4.8

42.7

Head On Rare End Right Angle Side Swipe

Overturn Hit Object In Road Hit Object Off Road Hit Parked Vehicle
Hit Pedestrian Hit Animal Other

4. Percentage of Casualties by Collision Type:

Casualties

5.6
3.6
6.6 23.5

5.2

7.6

5.7 15.3

15.3 3.2
8.4

Head On Rare End Right Angle Side Swipe

Overturn Hit Object In Road Hit Object Off Road Hit Parked Vehicles
Hit Pedestrian Hit Animal Other

xxii | P a g e
 5. Percentage of Driver, Passenger, Pedestrian Casualties by Year:

Casualties

19.2

33.6

47.2

Driver Casualty Passenger Casualty Pedestrian Casualty

Overview

In our term paper, we have shown the rate and percentage of different types of accidents

happening in our day to day life in Bangladesh. The data analysis has also been shown from

the view point of vehicles type, age of victims and income of family. We have found that the

number of road accidents has decreased compare to previous decades and years due to some

important initiatives taken by the Government and with the co-operation of citizens. Through

our survey we found out people’s opinion about the measures to be taken regarding the

minimization of road accidents. We have found out the insecurity and anxiety of people about

their lives on roads when they are travelling. People are now much conscious of their safety

on roads.

xxiii | P a g e
 Conclusion

In the end it can be said that, road accidents cause great loss to our life and economy. It not

only destroys vehicles but also many families. It takes the lives of people mercilessly. So

preventive measures should be taken to prevent road accidents. Well planned traffic rules,

implementation of punishments, laws and measures etc. can minimize the rate of road

accidents. There are so many things which are under control and also there are some things

which are not under control. So, let’s do what we can do at best and leave the rest to good.

With some effort, the number of road accidents can be brought down.

xxiv | P a g e
Reference

[Link]

http:/

xxv | P a g e
 Appendix

1. Do you think death rate of a country mostly depends on road accidents?

o Strongly Disagree

o Disagree

o Neutral

o Agree

o Strongly Agree

2. Do you think road accident happens more in city than in rural area?

o Strongly Disagree

o Disagree

o Neutral

o Agree

o Strongly Agree

3. Do you think that, economical loss due to road accident is a matter of thinking?

o Strongly Disagree

o Disagree

o Neutral

o Agree

o Strongly Agree

4. How often do you face road accidents?

o Once a week

o Once/twice a month

o More than one in a year

xxvi | P a g e
 o Almost not

5. Are the initiatives taken by government so far enough for reducing and stopping

road accident?

o Strongly Disagree

o Disagree

o Neutral

o Agree

o Strongly Agree

xxvii | P a g e