576 people killed in 505 road accidents in July: Report

As many as 576 people were killed and 1055 injured in 505 road accidents across the country in July, said a report of Bangladesh Jatri Kalyan Samity.

Forty-eight people died in 47 railway accidents while 21 died and 15 injured in 16 waterway accidents, it said.

The report was published on Saturday after analysing accident reports published in the country‍‍`s national and regional dailies and online news portals during the period.

Total 644 people were killed and 1075 others injured in 644 accidents on roads, waterways and railways across the country.

One ninety five people died and 122 others were injured in some 180 motorbike accidents across the country last month which is 35.64% of the total accidents and 31.61% of the total fatalities.

Among those killed in road accidents in July, 119 people were drivers, 77 pedestrians, 17 transport workers, 29 students, seven teachers, three members of law enforcement agencies, one army personnel, one navy personnel, one Border Guard Bangladesh member, one fire service man, 82 women, 42 children and seven activists of different political parties.

Highest 173 people were killed and 271 injured in 157 road accidents in Dhaka division while lowest 38 people were killed and 138 others injured in 23 road crashes in Barishal division.

Among those vehicles involved in the accidents were 18.74 percent buses, 22.84 percent pick-up vans, covered vans and lorries, 6.83 percent private cars, jeeps and microbuses, 5.74 percent CNG-run auto-rickshaws, 25.99 percent motorbikes, 15.32 percent battery-run human haulers and 4.51 percent three-wheeler vehicles.

Of the accidents, 38.61 percent occurred on national highways, 30.69 on regional highways and 24.15 percent on roads.

Besides, 5.34 percent accidents occurred in Dhaka city, 0.39 in Chattogram city and 0.79 percent on rail tracks.

The association identified plying of slow-moving three-wheelers and human-haulers on highways, increase of the movement of three-wheelers, lack of street nights and road sign, violation of traffic rules, movement of unfit vehicles, faulty construction work on highways, dangerous overtaking, carrying passengers on goods-laden vehicles, extortion, unskilled drivers and helpers and reckless driving as the reasons of the road accidents.