Road Accidents Claim Nearly 3,000 Lives Annually in Nepal, Report Reveals

Kathmandu. The state of road accidents in Nepal is becoming dire, a fact that has been made public. The report 'Transport Improvement Suggestion Task Force, 2080' recently published by the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport has presented a frightening statistic that approximately 3,000 citizens lose their lives annually in road accidents in Nepal.

According to the report of the expert task force formed under the convenership of former secretary Sharadchandra Poudel, more than 50 percent of those who lose their lives in road accidents are drivers and riders of two-wheeled vehicles, including motorcycles. To reduce this increasing rate of accidents, the task force has suggested that the government take strict policy and practical reform measures.

Furthermore, pointing out that many accidents occur due to technical errors during the road construction phase itself, the report proposes that 'Road Safety Audit' must be mandatorily implemented in road construction from now on. Similarly, the task force has emphasized the need to strictly regulate the duty hours and rest of drivers to prevent accidents in long-distance vehicles.

The report mentions that a wrong culture has developed in Nepal where, upon an accident occurring, without investigating the facts, it is assumed 'the one with the bigger vehicle is at fault' and compensation is extorted based on mob mentality and road blockades. The task force has strongly criticized such tendencies and suggested implementing a 'scientific system' in accident investigation. The report concludes that a mechanism should be created to identify the guilty based on technical and scientific facts, not on mob mentality.

Similarly, the task force has stated that the flawed provisions in the existing third-party insurance lead to victims not getting justice and disputes increasing in the transport sector, and has asked for its revision. For the proper management and compensation of road accident victims, the government has been recommended to replace the current system with a separate and effective arrangement called 'Public Transport Insurance Policy'.

This task force, formed on Falgun 11, 2079, during the tenure of then Transport Minister Narayan Kaji Shrestha, has put forward reform plans by classifying Nepal's transport sector into 7 main parts, including licenses, public transport, pollution control, and accident reduction, to make it organized. If these suggestions given by the task force are implemented, it is believed that road travel in Nepal will become safe and dignified.