Life is precious
THOUGH I had driving experience in several countries, it took five attempts to get my driving license in New York City. In my second attempt, I failed because of a pedestrian. He was attempting to cross the road on a red signal. Seeing the green light, I moved slightly forward. The examiner pressed the safety brake and returned my learner permit card along with the result slip, with the remark: "Always life first, always pedestrian first."
Yes, it's always life first. We can't accept any death in road mishaps caused by reckless driving of a learner, as he is not allowed to drive or even learn in public places until he gets a proper driving license.
Anima Saha, wife of Dhaka University professor Parimal Kumar Saha, lost her life when she was hit by a speeding private car at Dhaka University campus on June 22. Reports say that the killer car was moving at a very high speed at the time of accident, and was driven by a learner.
Almost every day in every news media, it is not very hard to find news related to road accidents both in Bangladesh and outside Bangladesh. Road crashes, causing deaths, injuries and damages, are always happening and seem usual. Deaths in road mishaps are at epidemic levels in many countries, and there seems to be a widespread acceptance that they are an inevitable consequence of ever-increasing mobility.
Like many other times and for many subjects, this time also we have statistics, not precautions. The WHO predicted that between 2000 and 2015 road accidents would cause 20 million deaths, 200 million serious injuries, and would leave more than one billion people killed, injured, bereaved, or left to care for a victim.
It also predicted that by 2020 road deaths would become the number three killer, behind heart disease and suicide, although Aids is now a much bigger threat than when that forecast was made. Many accident victims were wrongly carried when being helped, which led to permanent disability and, in some cases, death.
Road accidents in Bangladesh today have gotten to the stage where it seems that there is an epidemic. With official death toll of nearly 10,000 a year, road accidents cause the largest casualties in Bangladesh as neither existing laws nor law enforcement agencies are stringent enough to punish culprit drivers or transport owners.
The number of people seriously injured in road crashes is estimated to be more than 100,000 each year. Bangladesh has one of the highest fatality rates in road accidents, over 100 deaths per 10,000 registered motor vehicles.
Road traffic deaths and injuries place an enormous strain on a country's health care systems and on the national economy in general. In financial terms, accidents inflict a severe damage -- no less than Tk 5,000 crore annually, or about 2% of the total GDP. The accidents are blamed mostly on badly maintained roads, faulty vehicles, inexperienced drivers, and disregard for traffic rules. In Bangladesh, pedestrians are involved in almost 75% of road accidents.
While the picture is horrific, some people may not able to give importance to any individual case such as Anima's. But her death shows that so much is lacking. The absence of proper monitoring of traffic control, absence of sufficient speed breakers, unavailability of designated places for learners only, and lack of social responsibility -- as the learner's father let his son practice in a very important place.
In addition, a learner must not drive without a designated instructor. The learning vehicle is also different compared to the general vehicles. It is generally equipped with safety measures such as an emergency brake, which is accessible to the instructor.
The Dhaka University campus is subjected to get highest traffic control and frequent traffic vigilance, including strict actions against law-breakers. Considering the residential character of the university campus and its surrounding areas, stringent measures are needed to prevent road accidents -- but a number of serious accidents have occurred in this region in recent times.
On the other hand, beginners or learners should be strongly discouraged, and restricted by law, from practicing in residential places. Meanwhile, it's very necessary to have area-wise designated stretches for the learners.
As the value of human life is supreme and takes precedence over all other considerations, we are profoundly shocked at Anima's death, and can't accept this premature death as accidents do not happen accidentally. They are most of the time invited either by our own carelessness or by the carelessness of someone else.
Comments