Road accidents and fatalities increasing by the day

Over the past five fiscal years, 12,371 people have lost their lives in vehicle accidents across Nepal, with more than two thousand fatalities occurring annually, according to the records maintained by Nepal Police. During this period, 171,098 vehicles were involved in accidents. The records also show that the death toll from road accidents is five times higher than that from natural disasters. In the same timeframe, 2,303 people died in catastrophic disasters. However, local residents criticize the government for not taking adequate steps to prevent such accidents.

High fatality rates in Madhes

Data from Nepal Police Headquarters shows that the highest number of road accidents in the past five years occurred in Madhes province, where 2,604 people lost their lives. In contrast, Karnali province reported the lowest number of fatalities, with 695 deaths. Lumbini province also ranks high in accident-related deaths, with 2,218 fatalities during the same period.

Other provinces reported significant death tolls as well: 2,210 in Koshi, 1,764 in Bagmati, 1,040 in Gandaki, and 874 in Sudurpaschim. In Kathmandu Valley alone, 864 people died in vehicle accidents. During these five years, 12,155 bus accidents were recorded nationwide.

Need for safe roads and responsible drivers

To reduce road accidents, both driver behavior and road conditions must improve, says Dan Bahadur Karki, Central Police Spokesperson and Deputy Inspector General of Nepal Police. “Vehicle accidents don't just happen; drivers are responsible for them,” he states. “Drivers must adhere to road discipline, and roads must be constructed with care to avoid accidents.”

Common causes of accidents include drunk driving, drug use, speeding, driving without a license, reckless overtaking, and the use of mobile phones while driving. Other factors include passenger and pedestrian misbehavior, old vehicles, and adverse weather conditions.

Excessive checkpoints

Chandra Man Shrestha, chairperson of Swargadwari Gaumukhi Transport Services Pvt Ltd in Pyuthan, argues that the mental stress caused by excessive traffic police checkpoints contributes to road accidents. “There are more than 50 checkpoints between Pyuthan and Kathmandu. Why isn’t one checkpoint per district sufficient?” he asks.

Shrestha notes that while vehicles and drivers have improved compared to the past, poor road conditions extend travel times, leading to dangerous speeding. “A journey that should take two hours often takes 5-6 hours due to bumpy roads, which increases the risk of accidents, like the one in Narayangarh.”

Arjun Jung Thapa, former director general of the Road Department, criticizes the superficial approach to environmental impact assessments during road construction. He attributes accidents to poorly planned local roads, citing the Simaltat accident in Trishuli as an example. Thapa advises drivers to be fully informed about road conditions before traveling to new areas.

Disparity in government response

Locals have accused the government of prioritizing responses to plane accidents over road accidents. They cite the Trishuli bus accident and the Shaurya Airplane crash at Tribhuvan International Airport, which occurred just 15 days apart, yet were treated very differently by authorities.

Deknath Gautam, general secretary of the National Federation of Nepal Transport Professionals, claims that road accidents are increasing due to government indifference and neglect. He points to the ‘Transport Improvement Suggestion Task Force,’ which submitted a 201-page report to the government on Feb 2, outlining solutions for reducing accidents. Gautam laments that the government has ignored these recommendations.

The task force’s report covers six key areas: vehicle regulation (registration and renewal), license management, public transport, urban public transport, accident reduction, and pollution control. Each team of experts provided solutions to existing problems. Gautam insists that implementing these suggestions could reduce road accidents by 80 percent, but says, “No one seems to care.”

“During the civil war, we used to hear about 8-9 people dying,” Gautam recalls. “Today, at least 15-20 people die in road accidents every day.”