Bangladesh reports nearly 8,000 child road fatalities in six years

A report from the Road Safety Foundation (RSF) reveals that at least 7,963 children were killed in road accidents in Bangladesh between 2020 and September this year. Of these fatalities, 2,513 occurred while children were traveling to or from educational institutions.

The data indicates that the highest number of deaths occurred on rural roads (2,713), followed by regional roads (2,082) and highways (1,974). Regarding the victims, 2,958 were motorcycle riders or passengers, 2,812 were pedestrians, and 2,913 were passengers in other vehicles. The most frequent age group for fatalities was 13 to 17 years, with 3,547 deaths.

The RSF attributed these accidents to reckless driving, unsafe roads and transport systems, poor traffic rule awareness, and inadequate medical treatment facilities. Recommendations for improvement include enhancing road infrastructure, providing safety education in schools, and taking action against unskilled or underage drivers.