Road Accident Death Toll: Rising in Independent Reports, Falling in Government Data — Accurate Information Is Key to Road Safety

Road accidents are a daily reality for the people of Bangladesh. Encroached footpaths, parked buses and trucks narrowing roads and highways, unskilled drivers and assistants behind the wheel, and unscientific road management practices all contribute to road accidents. Additionally, the increasing presence of three-wheelers on highways, excessive speeding, faulty and illegal vehicles, disregard for traffic laws, mobile phone or headphone use while driving, and poor road infrastructure are all leading to rising fatalities on the roads. Every day, countless lives are lost and hundreds are left disabled, families losing their breadwinners. But perhaps the most distressing reality is that we do not even know the true scale of this crisis.