Learning from the past: Remembering road victims

Pant, Puspa Raj

Abstract

Available information about Road traffic crashes in Nepal shows that nearly 1,700 people lost their lives and over 13,000 people sustained injuries in the year 2010. So far, this number corresponds to 5 deaths each day in Nepal. A study conducted by the Nepal Health Research Council (NHRC) estimated that about 40,000 people receive road traffic injuries in Nepal in 2009 and resulting in about one-third of all hospital visits in Nepal. The latter shows that 110 people sustain road crash related injuries each day. It is obvious that most of these crashes occurred in the Kathmandu valley. However, road traffic injuries have become daily phenomenon in rural areas also as a result of expanding road networks and increasing access to motorised vehicles.
The amount of road crashes has significantly increased since early 2000s, from when there is continuous increase in the import of motorised vehicles in Nepal. Today there are over 1 million registered vehicles in Nepal, majority (80-85%) of which are two-wheeler vehicles i.e. motorcycles, scooters and mopeds etc. These kinds of vehicles are popular among youth population. In majority of road crashes youths and two-wheeler vehicles are involved. Nevertheless, accidents of long haul passenger vehicles are also a major cause of injuries and deaths of many people in Nepal. Appliance of safety measures is a matter of concern for many long and short distance journeys in Nepal. In addition, seat-belts are not fitted or not used when available, the standards of helmets is not determined, the condition of roads is not good. There is lack of road rules among drivers, pedestrians and general public. In rural areas there is not mechanism for monitoring the suitability of road and vehicular movement which is making journeys full of life threatening risks.
In absence of appropriate evidence based facts and figures, policy and practice related to road safety relies heavily on anecdotal information. There are varying and often conflicting opinions regarding the causes of road traffic crashes in Nepal. These are related to the condition of roads and vehicles, behaviours of road users and knowledge about road safety measures. Nepali media have shown promising concern to bring these into light for a wider attention.
Road crashes have multiple consequences: death, injury, disability, psychological effects and cost of property damage. It is also clear that working age people are highly affected by road traffic injuries; death of a breadwinner is irreversible loss and setback to family welfare. While looking into it from a broader perspective, road traffic injuries cost between 1 to 3 percent of Gross National Product to country, which may be responsible to push families and nations into poverty.
It is clear from the initiatives of the Valley Traffic Police in Kathmandu that coordinated efforts results in reduction of road crashes, for example: use of breathalysers to examine the level of alcohol in drivers has proved to be effective in discouraging driving under influence of alcohol. The use of radar speed sensor to detect the speed of a vehicle would also be another experiment which may bring positive results. Similarly, there is a need of automated number plate recognition device which would further regulate the vehicles on the roads. These investments have definite value of saving people from premature deaths but there are some other facts which are on the parts of road users.
The United Nations has called for global action to minimise such tragic occurrences on the roads of the world by declaring the decade for road safety 2011-2020. Since 2006, the third Sunday of November every year is marked as the World Day of Remembrance for Traffic Victims – observed as global day road traffic injury prevention throughout the world. In Nepal, there were no formal programmes came into light however, the valley traffic police has organised the Traffic Week started on this day.
There are rumours that a National Road Safety Strategy is offing; however, proper implementation is the fundamental for its success. The task of tackling the burden of road crashes requires coordinated efforts from multiple sectors of the Government. This year's theme of the UN Road Safety Collaboration – 'learning from the past' is highly relevant in our context. It is the duty of EVERYONE to learn from the past and contribute in minimising road traffic injuries. It would be very relevant to remember all road traffic victims who lost their lives before their time.

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Publication Date: Dec 1, 2012
• Journal: Republica - Daily English Newspaper
• Peer Reviewed: Not Peer Reviewed
• Keywords: road traffic, traffic victims, Neppal
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/941414
• Publisher URL: http://www.myrepublica.com/portal/index.php?action=news_details&news_id=45710
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