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A total of 60 people have died and 1,030 were injured in road accidents that took place in 10 districts of Bagmati Province in three months of the current fiscal year 2081/82.

A total of 397 road accidents took place during the period, according to the Nepal Police Highway Safety and Traffic Management Office in Chitwan.

During the period, the traffic police have collected revenue worth Rs 27.9 million from the traffic rule violators.

A total of 35,085 drivers were fined for violating traffic rules during the period. The amount was collected from last mid-August to mid-October.

Meanwhile, the traffic police are monitoring the speed of vehicles through CCTV and radar guns installed on the East-West Highway.

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.”

With the increasing frequency of road accidents in Nepal, travel becomes particularly perilous after the monsoon season. The recent incident in Simatal, Chitwan, where two buses went missing, taking 62 lives, underscores the hazards. Nepal experiences frequent accidents throughout the year, with a significant spike during the monsoon season due to natural calamities, damaged roads, slippery surfaces, and reduced tire grip during rainy days.

“Infrastructure expert Ashish Gajurel notes that the monsoon season is a significant contributor to accidents, with half of the 30,000 annual accidents occurring during this period, resulting in 15,000 accidents. The Prithvi Highway and Kathmandu Highway are experiencing higher accident rates due to the heavy traffic.

Increasing awareness programs for both travelers and non-travelers is a crucial first step. Gajurel added, “Buses can fall from heights of 100-500 meters, leading to devastating accidents. We are urging the government to construct road safety barriers in high-risk areas.”

Despite the rising number of incidents, Nepal Police spokesperson DIG Dan Bahadur Karki commented, “Nepal experiences numerous accidents, including the recent Simatal incident, but it’s uncertain if more accidents occur during the monsoon season.” He added, “The Kathmandu-Narayanghat, Muglin-Pokhara, Kathmandu-Hetauda, and Karnali highways are particularly affected during this season.”

Nepal’s geographical challenges, damaged roads, aging infrastructure, and poor timing in road construction contribute to increased destruction and disruption in areas affected by calamities. Karki cautioned, “Bus travelers should be aware of weather and highway conditions, avoid night travel, and stay informed about post-accident road conditions.” Both drivers and passengers should be vigilant and gather information regularly to stay updated.

Spokesperson Karki said, “We are preparing safety precautions in areas where accidents frequently occur.” He recommended timely checks of buses, careful consideration of geographical features during road construction, regular inspection of mechanical systems, and ensuring that only drivers with recent bus maintenance passes are allowed to operate.

According to the data, Provinces with higher population density and more vehicle use, such as Kathmandu Valley and Koshi Province, reported the highest number of accidents, while less populated or less densely trafficked areas like Sudurpaschim Province had fewer incidents.

Data suggests that the highest numbers of deaths and severe injuries were reported in Madhes Province and Gandaki Province reported the lowest numbers in these categories. Overall, the data highlights a serious issue with road safety in various provinces, with a particular need for improved safety measures.

A total of 172 people lost their lives to road accidents in the last fiscal year 2023/24 in Sudurpaschim Province.

Among them, 137 were male, 23 were female and 12 children, according to the Nepal Police's Highway Safety and Traffic Management Office, Attariya.

Spokesperson of the Office, DSP Anil Kumar Uprety shared that 536 were injured in the 309 road accidents in the same period. Among the vehicles meeting with the accidents, motorcycle related accidents were the highest at 207 followed by jeep/car at 40, bus at 24, tempo at 17, truck and tanker at 19, tipper at 9, micro bus 7, dozer at 3 and other types of vehicles.

The office has been organizing various awareness programs to sensitize people about traffic rules and road safety, said DSP Uprety, adding that 6,626 awareness programs and campaigns launched last fiscal year had benefitted 389,266.

The Office also took action against 73,479 drivers flaouting traffic rules. Traffic police collected over Rs 48.8 million in revenue from the fine slapped on the erring drivers, informed DSP Uprety.

In the previous fiscal year, 177 people died in 255 road accidents leaving 473 injured, it was shared.

At least 112 persons died in road accidents in Karnali Province in a year.

The province recorded 1,445 vehicular accidents in the last fiscal year, resulting in the death of 112 people, according to the Karnali Province Police Office.

The Office stated that Surkhet recorded 259 accidents resulting in the death of 28 people, Salyan 130 accidents resulting in 19 deaths and Rukum Paschim 93 accidents with 23 casualties.

Similarly, seven people were killed in 48 road accidents in Kalikot, five in 68 accidents in Jajrkot, 10 in 70 accidents in Dailekh and seven deaths were recorded in 41 accidents in Jumla. During the period, Mugu and Dolpa recorded 12 and 13 road accidents respectively.

More than 2,000 injured

The Province Police Office Surkhet said that 2,077 people were injured in the road accidents throughout the province in the last fiscal year (July 17, 2023 to July 15, 2024). Among the injured, 524 suffered serious injuries and the rest minor injuries.

Surkhet has the highest number of injured at 1,184 followed by Salyan at 271, Rukum Paschim at 156, Dailekh at 138, Kalikot at 96, Jajarkot at 87, Jumla at 60, Mugu at 39, Humla at 26 and Dolpa at 21, the Office said.

As many as 115 people were killed in various road accidents in Chitwan in a year.

The human casualties took place during the last fiscal year from mid-July 2023 to mid-July 2024.

The highway sections saw a higher number of accidents and fatalities than those on the inner roads in the district. Among the deceased, 92 were men, 19 women and four children. A total of 445 vehicles had met with accidents during the period.

Chief of the District Traffic Police Office, Suresh Subedi said 832 people were injured in the road mishaps.

A total of 250 vehicles had met with accidents on inner roads of the district in the last one year. At least 50 people were killed and 382 others injured in road accidents in the interior area. At least 57 people were killed in road accidents along the East-West Highway, Narayangadh-Muglin road section and Prithvi Highway.

At least 26 people were killed and 204 others injured in 96 accidents along the East-West Highway. Similarly, 21 people were killed in 55 accidents on the Narayangadh-Muglin road section. A total of 151 people were injured in the incidents, according to the Chitwan traffic official data.

At least 10 people were killed and 62 others injured in 18 road accidents along the Prithvi Highway in Chitwan. A total of 26 accidents occurred in the urban road section of the district during the same period.

Eight people were killed and 33 others injured in the accident. A total of 303 vehicles met with accidents in the district in the fiscal year 2079/80 BS.

A total of 78 people were killed and 581 others injured in the accidents. Subedi said, "No matter how much work has been done to reduce vehicle accidents, it has not been effective". A total of 663 vehicles had met with road mishaps in the district in the last fiscal year.

Annually hundreds of people have been untimely losing their lives in the Kathmandu Valley due to road accidents.

According to the Kathmandu Valley Traffic Police Office, as many as 88 people have lost their lives in 5,865 road accidents in the first six months of the current fiscal year. Likewise, 148 people were critically injured and 4,438 persons sustained minor injuries.

Most of the deceased in the accidents are motorcyclists and pedestrians.

Senior vice-president of the National Federation of Nepal Transport Entrepreneurs Punya Prasad (Saroj) Sitaula said that two-wheelers in the Kathmandu Valley are more prone to accidents.

"High speed of motorcycles and scooters and pedestrians rampantly crossing the road have caused the highest number of fatalities in Kathmandu", he said.

Spokesperson of Kathmandu Valley Traffic Police Office, Senior Superintendent of Police Rajendra Prasad Bhatta, said that the traffic police have been conducting various awareness programs to reduce the number of vehicle accidents in the Valley.

"We have been tightening the checking of alcohol consumption to reduce accidents, rules prohibiting vehicles from plying at a speed of more than 50 kilometers per hour to control speeding, checking the status of vehicles and whether there are two drivers in long-distance vehicles," he said.

Two persons died while three others were injured in separate road accidents in Jhapa district last night.

A person died when a motorcycle went out of control near Jhilimili Bridge in Bhadrapur Municipality-4 last night, and a person died and two others were injured when a passenger bus hit a motorcycle at Charpane Chowk in Birtamode Municipality-2.

Motorcycle rider Dhanapati Pathak (31) and Lekhnath Dahal (28) of Kachankewal Municipality-2 were injured when the motorcycle (Pra 1-01-013 Pa 9607) went out of control and hit the pillar on the side of the Jhilimili Bridge in Bhadrapur Municipality-4.

Of them, pillion rider Dahal died while undergoing treatment at Omsai Pathibhara Hospital, Bhadrapur while Pathak is still undergoing treatment at the same hospital.

Similarly, Toyanath Upreti of Kankai Municipality-8, died when the motorcycle (Me 1 Pa 7248) he was riding on hit by a passenger bus (Pra 1-01-002Ba. 0149), Police Inspector Nawaraj Neupane of District Traffic Office Jhapa said.

Raviratna Sitaula (59) of Kankai-5 and Sagar Majhi of Bahradashi Rural Municipality-7 who were riding pillion riding were injured in the incident. Both are undergoing treatment at Birta City Hospital, Biratmode.

Police said that they arrested the bus driver for investigation.

Seven persons died and 330 others were injured in 266 road accidents that occurred in a period between October 28 and November 16 in the Kathmandu Valley.

According to the Kathmandu Valley Police Office, 74 vehicles met with accidents on their own while 192 occurred due to collisions with other vehicles.

The number of vehicles that met with accidents on their own in Kathmandu is 39 while 94 accidents occurred due to collisions with other vehicles.

In Lalitpur, 19 vehicles met with accidents on their own while 30 vehicles collided with other vehicles.

In Bhaktapur, 16 vehicles met with accidents on their own while 68 vehicles collided with other vehicles.

Meanwhile, police have arrested 108 persons involved in these accidents, SP Dinesh Raj Mainali of the Kathmandu Valley Police Office, said.