Unhealthy competition major cause of accidents
The Bangladesh Road Transport Workers' Federation (BRTWF) recently stated that the unhealthy competition that exists among transport owners for maximising profit in the shortest period of time is largely responsible for road accidents. The reckless driving we see on our roads is due to multiple factors, principal among which is that drivers are pushed to do the maximum amount of trips within a working day. Other factors that contribute to road accidents are unfit vehicles and unskilled drivers. When we take into account that workers of this sector have no specified working hours and intervals for rest, it is only a matter of time before drivers start making mistakes on the road.
Workers of this sector have their grievances which, if not addressed, will only add to the fatalities on the roads. That many drivers are at the wheel of a heavy vehicle for 10 to 15 hours a day is inhumane, to start with, and dangerous for both the passengers of the bus and others on the road. Add to that the fact that a good number of drivers do not possess genuine driving licenses. It is unthinkable that drivers drive without having any job contracts or benefits and are expected to be vigilant and careful on city roads when burdened with profit maximisation motive by owners. Bringing order on our roads is a multi-stakeholder responsibility.
But owners complain about a huge shortage of drivers. That is an area that can be rectified by authorities by introducing more driving schools. However, merely having more drivers available will do little to change mindsets of transport owners. There must be rules and regulations about precisely how long a driver should drive at a stretch, putting reserve drivers on payroll and removing many of the irregularities about terms of employment. These need to be worked out and enforced if there is to be any meaningful improvement in this regard. The drivers' gripe has some validity and their recommendations deserve serious consideration.
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