549 dead, 5,777 injured in six months

KATHMANDU, NOV 11 - At least 549 people died and 5,777 were injured in road accidents across the country in the last six months (May 1 to mid-November 10).  Available data shows that on an average five people die every day in road accidents across the country.

According to the data posted on Nepal Police's (NP) website, 376 people died in four months since July 1, while the number of injured was 3,668. The Central Development Region recorded the highest 164 deaths with 1,911 accidents in the last six months. Similarly, 117 people died in the region in four months and 1,210 sustained injuries.

The NP data shows 1,587 people died across the country in the last fiscal year, while 12,000 sustained minor injuries during the same period as 5,519 accidents occurred across the country.

Police website posted that 1,734 people were killed in the fiscal year 2009/10, while 1,356 people died in the fiscal year 2008/09. Thus, over 5,000 people have lost their lives in road accidents in the last three and half years.

Drunk-driving, violation of traffic rules, overloaded vehicles, poor condition of roads and vehicles and encroachment on roads are major causes of road accidents. Besides, steering system of motor vehicles, disparity between vehicles and road engineering  are emerging as new challenges towards minimising accidents, said NP Spokesman DIG Binod Singh.

“Although the infrastructure of highways is getting pathetic day by day, it has failed to draw due attention of the government. So driving loaded vehicles at breakneck speed on the dilapidated roads results in accidents,” said DIG Singh.

Thursday's Sunsari road accident victims

Sumitra Mukhiya   

Suntidevi Yadav

Sumitra Yadav

Dharmaraj Yadav

Mantoriyadevi Yadav

Parodevi Yadav

Ritadevi Yadav

Kumaridevi Yadav

Ambika Kumari Yadav

Bholidevi Yadav

Sukalal Yadav

Kumardevi Yadav

Gitadevi Yadav

Ramrajidevi Yadav

Kebalidevi Yadav

Nirmaladevi Yadav

Ijobatiyadevi Yadav

Lakhanidevi Yadav

Source: DCNepal.com