Traffic accidents: 374 people killed, 3,105 injured in past 6-month

KABUL (Pajhwok): Over 370 people were killed and 3,105 others injured as a result of traffic accidents in the past six months in 32 provinces, according Pajhwok Afghan News reports during this period.

More than half of the casualties from these traffic accidents occurred in Kandahar, Ghazni, Faryab, Nangarhar and Herat provinces while 59 percent of the entire casualties happened in the first three days of last Eid-ul-Fitr, Eid-ul-Adha and on Arafat Day.

Nearly 89 percent of the victims are men, four percent are women, three percent are children and the gender of five percent victims could not be identified.

Casualties’ figure from traffic accidents may be higher because figures provided in this report are drawn from 123 traffic accidents the reports of which are published by Pajhwok Afghan News. Pajhwok don’t publish traffic accidents reports in which nobody is dead or the number of injured are less than five.

More than half of the casualties occurred in three provinces

Most people from Faryab, Baghlan, Sar-i-Pul and Badakhshan provinces whiel most people from Kandahar, Ghazni, Nangarhar and Faryab provinces are injured in these accdients.

According to Pajhwok Afghan News reports 45 people have been killed and 322 others injured as result of traffic accidents in Faryab province, 35 killed, 113 injured in Baghlan, 29 killed and 15 injured in Sar-i-Pul, 25 killed and 28 injured in Badakhshan, 22 killed and 22 injured in Balkh, 22 killed, 80 injured in Bamyan, 19 killed and 330 injured in Nangarhar, 14 killed, 29 injured in Badghis, 12 killed, 48 injured in Maidan Wardak, 12 killed, 84 injured in Laghman, 12 killed, 40 injured in Samangan, 11 killed, 34 injured in Daikundi, 11 killed and 218 injured in Zabul, 10 killed and 37 injured in Kapesa, 10 killed and 202 injured in Kunduz.

More over nine killed 47 injured in Jawzjan, seven killed two injured in Kabul, seven killed 17 injured in Logar, six killed and 61 injured in Farah, six killed and 370 injured in Ghazni, six killed 16 injured in Helmand, six killed 449 injured in Kandahar, six killed and 50 injured in Paktia, six killed 61 injured in Parwan, five killed 14 injured in Parwan, five killed 54 injured in Takhar, four killed, 260 injured in Herat, three killed 59 injured in Ghor, three killed 16 injured in Khost, three killed in Nimroz, three killed and  22 injured in Panjsher and six injured in Kunar.

Major part of this casualties happened in the first three days of last Eid-ul-Fitr, Eid-ul-Adha and on Arafat Day.

According to reports during the first three days of last Eid-ul-Fitr 659 people and during Araft Day and first three days of Eid-ul-Adha 1,401 people killed and injured.

Men made major part of the entire casualties.

Men’s casualty is 11 time higher comparing to women and children’s casualties

Women’s casualties

Children’s casualties

Men’s casualties

According to Pajhwok Afghan News previous reports men’s made major part of the traffic accidents casualties because they travel more comparing to women and children.

These facts and figures were shared with the Traffic Department Policy and Plan Directorate and questions were asked regarding solutions but no answers were provided.

According to the Traffic Department earlier information last year 1,304 traffic accidents registered nationwide last year which resulted in the killing of 944 people and injured 2,077 others. Most of these accident occurred on highways.

The Plan and Policy Director Abdul Wadud Khairkhwa linked traffic accidents on highways with reckless driving, and dilapidated condition of roads. He also said that some drivers take narcotics such as Hashish in order to evade sleep and it also causes accidents.

He said in urban areas traffic accidents occurred due to narrowness of roads, lack of parking areas, increasing number of vendors and reckless driving.

He asked drivers to implement traffic rules because it could help evade accidents.

Reasons and solutions

Mohammad Nabi Afghan, deputy head of the Transport Companies Solidarity Council, said the number of traffic accidents is higher and there are some problems which need solution.

“In short-term, it is difficult to address this issue because right-hand drive vehicles, which are the main source of accidents, were distributed documents during Republic regime and also during the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan regime recently.”

He said some drivers are addicts, some are reckless while sometimes companies ask drivers to reach on time due to which sometimes accidents happen.

He said relevant authorities are working on strategy on the bases of which traffic accidents would be reduced.

Referring to government future steps he said: “The best way is those drivers that violate rules should be put in prison because Afghans know the language of force.”

He believed this will help spread positive impression among people regarding the strictness of IEA against traffic rules violation.

Referring to Traffic Accidents in Eid, Afghan said: “Travel increases during Eid and some people cross the limit and diver vehicles at high speed. In ruler areas youth drive motorbikes with speed, the right-hand drive vehicles also causes accidents because they are not suited with Afghanistan traffic direction.”

But Najibullah, a passenger bus driver, termed the dilapidated condition of roads as main reason behind growing traffic accident. He drives bus on the Kabul-Kandahar Road from the past 12 years.

He rejected the use of narcotics by drivers and said during long drive no one could take narcotics.

nh