Technology can make roads safer: speakers

Speakers at a roundtable yesterday discussed various ways to make roads safe, including the use of technology.

They also suggested that the government and private sectors should work together in the implementation of technology to improve road safety.  

Prothom Alo organised the discussion titled “Integrated initiatives needed for road safety” at their office in Dhaka, in association with ridesharing service Uber.

Mohammad Tabarak Ullah, superintendent of police in charge of National Emergency Service (hotline 999), said, “We have integrated all ridesharing apps into our service, to provide prompt rescue service for passengers and drivers in danger.” 

“We are installing devices in all patrol cars of police stations and vehicles of fire service, to track their location and distance from a victim of accident or danger, in order to save them swiftly.”

Iravati Damle, Uber’s head of public policy for West India, East India and Bangladesh, said technology provides an incredible opportunity to improve road safety in  new and innovative ways. “Bangladesh is growing and will do better in road safety and we express solidarity with the government to make roads safer.”

Country Lead of Uber Bangladesh Zulquar Quazi Islam said, “Information of passengers and drivers are kept in ridesharing apps’ database, and that is why both riders and drivers feel safe using the service.”

Ahmed Nasmul Husain, director of Brac’s road safety programme, said, “To achieve SDGs, government has to reduce road accidents by 50 percent but it can’t -- due to lack of awareness, illegal drivers, unfit vehicles etc.” 

Assistant Prof Kazi Md Saifun Newaz of Buet’s Accident Research Institute, said the government should fix road engineering mistakes.