Nusrat Sultana
The rate of road accidents is increasing every day in the country. The road is getting bloody every day. Many lives are lost. Every day, when we see TV or turn on the page of newspapers, we see the news of numerous road accidents. Although there are laws and various restrictions to prevent accidents, we have hardly seen them implemented.
According to the data of non-governmental organisation Road Safety Foundation, 578 people were killed in 596 accidents in the country in February 2025 and at least 1 thousand 327 people were injured. 78 women and 87 children among the dead. In the month of January, 608 people were killed in 621 road accidents across the country and at least 1,100 people were injured in that month, according to the Road Safety Foundation. 72 women and
84 children among the dead. In another report first two months in this year, 264 people were killed in 271 motorcycle accidents, which is 43.42 percent of the total fatalities. According to Bangladesh Jatri Kalyan Samity, at least 8,543 people were killed and 12,608 were injured in 6,369 road crashes across the country in 2024.Road accidents have many causes. The main cause of road accidents is recklessness of  motorists. When drivers hold the steering wheel, they think of themselves as kings. Although there are certain speed limits, they are reluctant to obey them. There are some people who drink and drive. As a result, it is not possible for them to control the vehicles immediately in
an emergency. The sharp rise in motorcycles and battery-run auto-rickshaw, along with the
illegal operation of both speedy and slow moving vehicles on highway, unfit vehicles were
also responsible for the rise of road accidents. On the other hand, there are many people who buy vehicles and rent them for money. But the driver may be unskilled, drug addict or underage. In that case, only one thing goes
through the driver's mind, first paying the owner, then earning for himself. Because of this,
they naturally become reckless. Many road accidents also happen in this way. Notably, there
is competition between drivers on the roads, which also leads to many road accidents and
resulting deaths.Another thing is that road accidents are increasing due to our lack of respect for laws.
Neither the pedestrian nor the driver wants to obey the law. This is how hundreds of people
are dying silently in road accidents. But how long is the road, constantly bloody! Now it is the time to speak out against road accidents. We dont want to see any more  deaths on the roads. For this, order should be brought back on the road. In that case, law enforcing agency should apply law strictly. Government should make different lane for
different spread vehicles. On the other hand, drivers must be fastened the seatbelt. Stay focused for safe driving. Because a little careless driving can lead to tragic accidents. Driving  by unskilled drivers should be stopped. Sudden acceleration of the vehicle or the curtailment leads to major accidents. So the speed of the vehicles must be controlled. Many drivers compete for overtaking. It is one of the causes of road accidents. So, the tendency of overtaking passengers should be stopped. Every vehicle shall have two looking glasses. Many accidents happen because drivers are drunk while driving. So stop driving whileintoxicated. Though non-implementation of road transport laws is one of the causes of road accidents. But in many cases accidents happen due to carelessness and ignorance of common people. So not only the implementation of the law, but the awareness of the citizens as well as the
authorities, drivers and passengers should all be alert. It must be remembered that life is
more valuable than time. So let's always be aware, make others aware and stop the march
of death on roads.

She is a student of the department  of Sociology,University of Chittagong.