Dear Sajha friends,

With your cooperation and support, I would like to dedicate this thread ONLY to RECORDING of the news (copy-paste style) related to highway accidents/deaths [in Nepal] that we regularly read on sites such as Nepalnews.com and Kantipuronline.com.

We all know that highway deaths/accidents in Nepal are routinely COMMON yet
so preventable.

To my knowledge, no member of our civil society has ever led a julus, much less done anything, to make our highways safer. No donor agency of any kind funds any
highway-related safety measures. Yet ordinary Nepalis, often anonymous and devoid of any insurance claims, continue to die unnecessarily on our highways, week after week.

But before one gets carried away, first, let's try to establish whether we really have
a serious problem at hand. To do that, as a mere beginning, let's spend the next four months (Oct 11 to Jan 10) to just post news (as it appears on either Nepalnews or Kantipuronline) about such accidents, and keep a running tally on the number of
victims, and, then in January, see what conclusions we can draw for some possible public actions.

*************************
Start date: Oct 11, 2004
End date: Jan 10, 2004

First item:

************************************************
Seven killed, 25 injured in a bus accident
KOL Report

KATHMANDU, Oct 11 - At least seven people were killed and 25 others injured when a passenger bus met with an accident in Tanahun district Monday afternoon.
According to police, the bus bound to Pokhara from Narayanghat fell into Kumle River at Khairenitaar in Tanahun district killing five passengers on the spot this afternoon. Two others died while being rushed to Western Regional Hospital in Pokhara.

The reason behind the accident is not yet known.

Among the dead are five women and two men. Only two of them have been identified so far.

Rescue operation is underway at the accident site.

In a separate incident, a truck carrying Indian pilgrims met with an accident at Manhari along Mahendra Highway, injuring at least 30 people this afternoon.
According to reports, the accident occurred when the truck on its way to Hetauda from Kathmandu tried to overtake a vehicle in the area.

Four of the injured are reported to be critical condition and have been rushed to Bharatpur hospital in Chitwan. (dds)
*****************************

TALLY: 7 killed; 25 injured.

TALLY:

7 Killed;
25 + 30 = 55 Injured

Seven persons killed in bus accident

At least seven persons were killed and two dozen others were injured when a passenger bus heading to Pokhara from Chitwan fell off the road at Kumblekhola in western district of Tanahun Monday afternoon.

Those dead include five women and two men. The injured persons have been taken to the western regional hospital in Pokhara.

Police said investigation is underway.

nepalnews.com by Oct 11 04

Most of the traffic fatalities never make it to the online news. Safety education is a key to prevent a lot of these accidents. I think the tests for acquiring drivers licence should be more stringent. In the US, they have CDL (Commercial Drivers Licence) to be able to operate heavy vehicles and commercial buses and trucks. I wouldn't be surprised if an experienced Nepali driver would bribe someone in the Police Dept. to obtain license. They are not only putting their own life in Danger but thousands on the road. Also, putting proper traffic signals and signs at proper places would reduce the traffic fatalities in Nepal as well. I don't know if the Dept. of Roads have any programs to alert drivers and pedestrial of Road Hazard and Safety, but they should.

do we post the same news twice?? with diff sources??

This is also relevant.
Talks about a way to reduce highway accidents.

********************************

Press Release, Himsa Birodh Abhiyan, 15 October 2004

Group Protests the use of Landmines on
Highways

The Himsa Birodh Abhiyan in a statement today asked the
Maoist leadership and activists to desist from placing
landmines on roads and highways of the country. The group
was making this appeal at a time when Nepali citizens all over
are using the highways to head back home to their families
during the Dasain festival.

The group states further:

Travel along roads and highways has become a hazardous and
fearful activity due to the placement of landmines, said to be
targeted at the security forces but which in fact kill and maim
ordinary citizens. Such an inhumane activity not only destroys
lives and property but also terrorises the larger population.
The Maoist use of landmines in highways and roads
affects the fundamental right of the people to use public
spaces. Further, it is in blatant violation of international
humanitarian law.

The danger to citizens escalates when security
personnel use public transport in order to protect themselves in
highways that might be mined. This was contributory to the
incidents, for example, in Dhankhola of Dang District and
Mainapokhari of Dolakha District. It is difficult for passengers
to tell soldiers and policemen not to board a bus, and so they
have to live with the danger.

Dasain has begun with the day of Ghatasthapana, and
the Tihar and Chhat festivals are just around the corner. These
cultural and religious celebrations are times of family reunion
and camaraderie amidst communities. Migrant workers return
home, women and children go to their parental and grand-
parental homes, and all over the country there is a sense of
happiness and renewal. Tragically, the mining of roads keeps
the citizens of Nepal from celebrating their cultural rights in
this manner.

We ask all concerned to restore the right of the Nepali
people to walk the highways, roads and trails without fear of
landmine attacks. The Maoists must immediately end their
practice of placing explosive on roads and public spaces.
Likewise, it is inappropriate for the security forces to use
public transport vehicles, other than for the express purpose of
providing security to the passengers within.

Contact at the Himsa Birodh Abhiyan:
Kedar Sharma - 5545888, Kanak Mani Dixit - 5521055, Kiran
Krishna Shrestha - 5542646, Bhusan Dahal - +36661,
Nakimuddin - +20081

OCT 17 2004

Five killed in road mishaps

Five persons including a four-year-old child were killed in separate road mishaps along the Mahendra Highway on Saturday. A dozen others passengers were injured in those accidents.

According to reports, a woman and a child were killed and two injured on Saturday morning. The incident occurred as a truck hit them along Mahendra Highway at Budhabare of Jhapa.

In Hetauda, two persons - including an Indian national- were killed when an Ilam bound passenger bus collided with a truck coming from opposite direction at Basamadi of Makwanpur district. They were taken to Hetaunda hospital for treatment and declared dead there.

According to Police, the deceased Indian national has been identified as Karuna Subba of Darjeeling.

In yet another incident, Krishna Dev, a resident of Motipur VDC of
Kapilvastu died on the spot as a truck hit him at Bardagaon of Kapilvastu district in western Nepal.

Nepal has the highest rate of Road Traffic Accidents (RTAs) in entire South Asia. Experts say fatal RTAs increase sharply during September-October when most of the roads are dilapidated due to monsoon and there is increased traffic movement during major festivals like Dashain and Tihar.

Lack of repair and maintenance of the public transport vehicles and
negligence on part of the drivers are also blamed for growing number of
accidents. nepalnews.com pd Oct 17 04

TALLY

7 + 5 + 2 + 1 = 15 dead so far since the beginning of this thread.
55 + 12 = 67 inured since the beginning of this thread.

REVISED:

7 + 2 + 2 + 1 = 12 dead so far since the beginning of this thread.
55 + 12 = 67 inured since the beginning of this thread.

Nepal has the highest rate of Road Traffic Accidents (RTAs) in entire South Asia. Experts say fatal RTAs increase sharply during September-October when most of the roads are dilapidated due to monsoon and there is increased traffic movement during major festivals like Dashain and Tihar.

Lack of repair and maintenance of the public transport vehicles and
negligence on part of the drivers are also blamed for growing number of
accidents. nepalnews.com pd Oct 17 04

Is there any organization that is working at educating highway road side villagers to the rules of highway. I guess when East West Highway is being projected as an ambitious goal by both Indian and Nepalese government, they should fund to educate the villagers on the road side to the doe's and don'ts of Highway use. Lack of overhead and underground road crossing also contribuite to the death tolls. As most accidents seems to be head on crash of veichels travelling on opposite sides, mid road barriers will work better, even though they will reduce the road width.
Educating the general public to the importance of travel insurance and provision of suing the travel agency or bus owners for any accidents that happen in the course of the journey undertaken with them will greatly reduce the irresponsible and rash driving.

KK,

To the best of my knowledge, there is NO ONE working on making our highways safer. But I would be happy to be proven wrong about this.

One set of morbid experiences you get while travelling on Nepali highways is seeing the corpses of upturned trucks and smashed buses . . . not to mention, traffick jams/lines arising out of accidents.

I am not a transport strategist, but I would imagine that many of these accidents are preventable with a little bit of public education, common sense and, yes, by raising the cost of accidents for all bus/truck companies.

oohi
ashu

Ashu bro,
Highway accidents are mainly because of our gurujis recklessness in Nepal. They enjoy driving in nepal's mountainous terrain as if one enjoys riding a roller coaster ride, and thus so many accidents. Most of the drivers are uneducated and unemployed adult , before they become professional drivers. I assume, some of them don't even know how to read traffic signals. Traffic authority must take heed of these things and issue licences. Drink-driving is also common among our drivers. For these drivers in a country of bloodshed and chaos, their only hope of a better life is buoyed with the exuberance of their reckless driving. Hence, it is obvious highway accidents are common in a country like Nepal.

Just my opinion.

Reasons of road accidents:

Engineering:
Driver Dependent: skill of Driver
Policy Related
Regulation
Natural

Engineering: Road condition. In developed countries they have guard rails.
Roads are wider than the size of vehicles. There is enough margin for
vehicles coming from opposite direction. Extremely rural to roads made
for rural access e.g. at the time of fire in jungles are much wider than
the roads we have in Nepal, where bus with overload run.
Minimum Signals don't exist at proper places. Road surfaces are not
maintained well, why my fellow civil enginers want to join Highway
department? Because they can chew concrete, they can chew
tar / ashphalt. Road maintenance is the only place where you don't
need to do anything to chew concrete and ashphalt, in paper
you can mention that its done. Check the engineers who ever
worked in maintenance sections of highways in Road Department.
They have one after another building in Kathmandu. Shame on
my profession.

Now, driver incompetency. In Japan, it is said that to become
a taxi driver, the driving test is too tough. The taxi driver can
drive a car with a wine filled glass on top of roof without spilling
a drop of wine. Public facility drivers are all we trained and extremely
checked. Those who get driving license in Japan, knows what does
a driving test mean, what a driver should be. Still road accident
related death is 2nd/3rd reason of death among un-natural deaths
after sucide. In Nepal, I have seen friends who are in Japan,
got Nepali driving license while being in Japan, just using telephones
to their relative or friends. Oops, one Indian friend of mine got
driving (international) license from Calcutta ($30) via Internet, he
even did not ever seat on driver's seat. Many Bangladeshis get
the license like that. If issuance of driving license is so haphazard,
should not accident be in same proportion?

Policy? Nepal is country where lawyers demand that helmet use
should not be mendatory? What the hell is this? If you don't use
helmet, if you don't click you seat belt, who is going to suffer?
In developed countries, all long route buses are equipped with
passenger seat belt and are adviced to use it. In Nepal, how
many deaths could have been reversed if there were enough
seat belt to each passenger? I can guess, only seat belt in
public long route buses would have saved more than half
of lives lost.

Speed limit: Have you ever heard about speed limit? Most of
the accidents in Prithvi highway, Gorkah-Narayanghat HW,
or other hill roads are due to the speeding of vehicles in
curves. The curves have radius less than 50m, then,
road curves are not banked properly at curves. Thus, the
centrifugal acceleration: m (v^2) / r = mg x frictional coef (tan theta)
that is v = sqaure root of (gr tanTheta) where tanTheta is
coefficient of static friction about 0.25 ................. (depends
on tyre condition, road condition)..... thus, its a very small
indeed. But, have you ever noticed how high speed they
drive in those curves, in that narrow road without centerline
or lane separators. Strict enforcement ? You create a new
rule, thats going to another corruption garne bhando.

Most of the drivers in highway don't drive without drinking
one or two shots of alchohol. Most of the drivers come from
low economic condition: promoted from khalashi to driver, so
they know the importance allcohol free driving. If you don't
have enough money to feed your stomach, probably the
alcohol was the best way for them to kill the gas in stomach
and its going to kill the passengers.... need education.
Who is going to provide them?

Is there any reporting place for complains? in Japan when
a bus driver was found drunk, passenger immediately
called her mother, mother called transport comany and
police. The driver was traced and finally dismissed from
job. Do we have such honest and prompt action policy
against offenders?

The list goes on.
Rest Later.
GP

Source: Deshantar

;8s b'36{gf M c+s 36\g] l:yltdf 5}g

j;Gt l/dfn

;8s b'36{gf dfgj :jf:Yo / hLjgsf lgldQ 3fts dflgG5 . b'3{6gfn] dflg;nfO{ 3fprf]6 / cýeýsf cnfjf csNkgLo d[To'sf] d'v;Dd k'ýofOlbG5 . uDeL/ 3fpýrf]6 nfu]/ cýeý aGg k'u]sf JolQmx? hLjgel/ si6s/ hLjg latfpg ljjz 5g\ . csNkgLo d[To'sf] sf/0f 3/kl/jf/dfly ;+j]usf] 3fp hLjgel/ kl//xG5 . lj1fgsf] of]ubfgn] NofPsf ;a} ef}lts j:t'n] dflg;nfO{ ;lhnf]dfq kf/]sf] 5}g . dfgjhLjgdf ;'v;'ljwfsf lgldQ k|of]u ul/g] ef}lts ;fwgsf] pkof]u ubf{ c;fjwfgLsf sf/0f sltko cj:yfdf JolQmdfly g} uDeL/ Iflt k'lu/x]sf] 5 . b'3{6gfsf cg]sf}+ sf/0fdWo] ;8s b'36{gf klg Ps xf] . dfgjLo uNtL / x]nr]qmýfO"sf sf/0f x'g] b'3{6gfsf sf/0f dfq sl/a !%)) ;o JolQmsf] d[To' x'g] u/]sf] tYofý k|x/L k|wfg sfof{nodf kfOG5 eg] cýeý x'g]sf] ;+Vofsf] ;+Vof clxn];Dd olsg x'g ;s]sf] 5}g . ;8s b'3{6gfsf sf/0f af/]df k|efjsf/L hgr]tgfsf] clej[l4 x'g g;Sbf o;n] dfgjLo IfltnfO{ lbgfg'lbg a9fpýb} nu]sf] 5 .

@)%# ;fnsf] bz}+sf] d'vdf ndh'ýsf] kfpýbL 9Lsdf ePsf] a; b'36{gfdf k/]/ w';]{gLlgjf;L @# jifL{o dw' sf]O/fnfsf] cNkfo'd} d[To' ePsf] lyof] . ljwjf cfdfsf] Ps dfq ;xf/f /x]sf] sf]O/fnfsf] lgwg ePkl5 pgsL cfdfsf] clxn];Ddsf] hLjg ;xf/fljxLg x'g k'u]sf] 5 . ;8s b'36{gfaf6 x'g] o:tf csfn d[To'sf] k|lqmof clxn] klg rln/x]sf] kfOG5 .

xfdLsxfý clwsf+z ;8s b'3{6gf kxf8L e"ýefudf /x]sf ;fý3'/f ;8ssf sf/0f x'g] u/]sf] lj1x?n] atfpýb} cfPsf 5g\ . ýOlGhlgol/ý SofDk; yfkfynLdf k|FWofkg k];fdf ;+nUg OlGhlgo/ uf]ljGb kf}8]n ;jf/L ;fwgsf] rfk a9\b} hfg b'36{gfsf k|d'v sf/0fsf ?kdf /x]sf] atfpý5g\, ;jf/Lý;fwgsf] a9\bf] rfksf] t'ngfdf ;8ssf] j[l4 / ljsf; x'g g;Sg' klg b'3{6gfsf] k|d'v sf/0f xf] .ý ;fý3'/f ;8ssf cnfjf k'/fgf ;jf/L ;fwg, sRrL ;8s, s'zn rfnssf] cefj, nfdf] ofqfdf klg Pp6} rfnsn] ;jf/L ;fwg rfnfpg'nfO{ b'3{6gfsf ?kdf x]l/Psf] 5 .

b'3{6gfdf k/]kl5 tGb'?:t cj:yfdf /x]sf] JolQm Ps}rf]l6 uDeL/ c;Qm cj:yfdf k'Ub5 . ý/fli6ýo rf]6k6s lgoGq0f ;+:yfsf lgb]{zs 8f= 1fg]Gb| zdf{ b'3{6gfsf sf/0f JolQmsf] z/L/dfly g/fd|f] zf/Ll/s / dfgl;s c;/ kg{ ;Sg] atfpg'x'G5 . b'3{6gfn] 3fprf]6sf cnfjf uDeL/ rf]6n] ubf{ p;sf] :jf:Yol:ylt gfh's aGghfG5 . o;n] ubf{ b'3{6gfaf6 aRg ;kmn sltko dflg;x? cýeýsf] kL8f / dfgl;s kL8f hLjge/ ;xg ljjz x'G5g\ .ý ;8s b'3{6gf x'g'sf] k5fl8 /x]sf] k|d'v sf/0fdf 6ýflkms lgodsf] r]tgf gful/s;d x'g g;Sg' klg b'3{6gfsf sf/ssf ?kdf lnOPsf] 5 .

x'g t k|x/Lýf/f s]xL ;dootf ;8s b'3{6gfaf6 arfpgsf lglDt hgr]tgf clej[l4sf lglDt ;8s ;Ktfx h:tf sfo{qmd ;~rfng ul/Psf] klg kfOG5 . oBlkM of] k|efjsf/L x'g ;s]sf] eg] b]lvPsf] 5}g . ;8s ;'/Iff;DaGwL hgr]tgf clej[l4 u/fpgsf lglDt cfhef]ln ljBfnosf 5fq5fqfnfO{ klg ;lqmo kfl/Psf] klg b]lvG5 . oltn] dfq afgL a;fpg g;Sbf hxfýaf6 kfof] ToxL+af6 ;8skf/ ug{ vf]Hg] cfd k|j[lQdf kl/jt{g cfpg eg] ;s]sf] 5}g .

/f0ff k|wfgdGqL rGb|zdz]/sf] kfnfdf ;a}eGbf klxnf ;g\ !()! b]lv g]kfndf ;jf/L;fwg dfgj andf af]s]/ leýofOPsf] lyof] . clxn] ;8ssf] cg'kftdf g]kfndf ;jf/L;fwgsf] j[l4 ePsf] kfOG5 . clw/fHoel/ #,(@,%^% ;jf/L;fwg /x]sf] oftfoft ljefusf] tYofýdf pNn]lvt 5 . ;jf/L;fwgsf] cfotdf a;]{lg !$ k|ltztn] 5 . !%#)) ls=ld= ;8ssf #) k|ltztdfq ;8s sfnf]kqn] 9flsPsf] kfOG5 . @& k|ltzt ;8sdf u|fa]n la5\ofOPsf] 5 eg] $# k|ltzt ;8s cem} klg sRrL g} /x]sf] 5 . sRrL ;8sdf ;fgf] jiff{ klg lrKnf] eP/ b'3{6gf a9L ePsf] b]lvG5 . oxL c;f]h !) ut] ndh'ýsf] ;f]tLk;naf6 gf/fo0fu9tkm{ hfýb} u/]sf] a; Jof; gu/kflnsfleqsf] sRrL ;8saf6 lrlKnP/ ;o ld6/ tn k'Ubf $ ofq'sf] 36gf :yndf g} d[To' ePsf] lyof] .

;8s b'3{6gfdf 3fOt] x'g] JolQmx?dWo] ^) k|ltzt JolQmsf] 6fpsfdf uDeL/ rf]6 nfUg] u/]sf] ljZj:jf:Yo ;+u7gsf] tYofýdf pNn]v ul/Psf] 5 . dfgj z/L//sf lglDt 6fpsf] clt ;+j]bgzLn c+u dflgG5 . 6fpsf]df nfUg] rf]6k6saf6 aRg 6ýflkms lgodsf] cg'z/0f ug'{ clt cfjZos x'guPsf] 5 . ýo;sf lgldQ ofq'n] l;6 a]N6sf] k|of]u ug'{sf] cnfjf df]6/;fOsndf ofqf ubf{ x]Nd]6sf] k|of]u u/]df 6fpýsf]df k'Ug] rf]6k6s 36\g ;Sg] 8f= zdf{sf] ljZjf; 5 .ý

@)^) df dfq %^%% ;jf/L;fwg b'3{6gfdf k/]sf] k|x/Lsf] tYofýdf 5 . lj1fgn] k|bfg u/]sf] j/bfg:j?ksf dfgjhLjgsf pkof]uL ;fwgnfO{ x]nr]qmýfO"af6 arfpg ;s]df b'3{6gfaf6 pTkGg x'g] kL8faf6 aRg ;lsG5 . ýb'3{6gfsf sf/0f d[To' x'g k'u]sf kl/jf/hgsf lglDt ;xfotf sf]ifsf] Joj:yf ul/g' klg h?/L b]lvG5 . b'3{6gfdf k/]/ cleefjs u'dfpg k'u]sf afnaflnsf lglDt lgMz'Ns k7gkf7gsf] Joj:yf ldnfOg' dfgjLo st{Jo x'G5ý, ;+:yfsf lgb]{zs 8f= zdf{ atfpg'x'G5 .ý

OOps!!! didn't work.

Link:

http://www.nepalnews.com.np/unprotected/nepaliweekly/deshantar/2004/oct/oct10/local.htm#6

Here we go again:

**************************

18 killed, dozens injured in road accidents

KOL Report

KATHMANDU, Oct 18 - At least 18 people were killed and dozens other injured in road accidents in various parts of the country on Monday.

Our Dolkha correspondent reports nine people were killed and six-dozen others injured when a passenger bus bound to Ramechhap from Kathmandu skidded off of the road at Lakuridanda-1, in the district at around 3:30-this afternoon.

According to police, eight people died on the spot and one succumbed to injuries while undergoing treatment at Charikot.

The dead have not been identified yet, added reports.

Separately, four people were killed and 25 others injured in a head-on collision between two passenger buses at Paurahi area along Mahendra Highway in Rautahat district Monday morning.

Reports said a passenger bus bound to Gaushala of Mahottari from Kathmandu collided with another bus heading towards Birgunj from Janakpur at Paurahi road section at around 8:30 this morning.

Police said four people including the driver of Birgunj bound bus were killed on the spot. Three others killed have not been identified yet.

The injured were rushed to Birgunj and Janakpur for treatment.

Similarly, two people including a child were killed on the spot after being hit by two separate passenger buses at two different VDCs in Saptari district this afternoon the reports said.

Likewise, the helper of a tractor died on the spot after the tractor overturned in Tehrathum district.

In Rupandehi, two people who were traveling on a motorcycle died on the spot after being hit by a truck today, reported our correspondent. (snn/dds)

*******************************

TALLY, based on the reports on either Nepalnews.com or Kantipuronline.com

11 October, 2004 to 18 October 2004

DEAD: 12 + 18 = 30
INJURED: 67 + (12) + 25 = 104-plus

Names of those dead and/or injured: All ANONYMOUS.

Nine more people die in bus accident
Nine more persons died and at least four dozen others were injured when a passenger bus traveling from Kathmandu to Manthali of Ramechhap district in central Nepal fell some 100 meters off the road at Lakuridada in Dolakha district Monday afternoon.

According to police, a girl child and a woman were also among the dead. Police said the injured people were undergoing treatment at local health posts. Some of them have already left for their houses after primary treatment.

Preliminary reports said the bus was overloaded with people on the way to their houses on the occasion of Dashain.

Earlier, at least four persons died and two dozen others were injured when two passenger buses collided along the Mahendra highway at Paurahi in Rautahat district Monday morning. nepalnews.com by Oct 18 04

There were an estimated 6,356,000 car accidents in the US in 2000. There were about 3.2 million injuries and 41,821 people were killed in auto accidents in 2000 based on data collected by the Federal Highway Administration. (Source: http://www.car-accidents.com).

Now, we can think about the fatal road accident in USA and Nepal. At the same time, we can easily analyze the road condition, traffic rules, and the overall development in this sector. We can reduce it but cannot eliminate. Actually, it is so easy to analyze and critisize.

The damn thing that pisses me off, is why can't they know who died. Just try to record proper name, address and seat number of the pasenger while giving the ticket, and avoid picking up on the way. Even if they have to have proper acount of who is the pasenger, if necessary ask for proper document like some card.
Yeah Yeah you all will say Nepalese do not carry identity cards with them, but with voters id, copy of citizenship certificate, official id, driver's licence anything like that, things will work fine. This will also reduce if not eliminate the risk of bombing and hizaking of buses.
Look at what the ticket dalal gives you, unredeable scramble in a piece of paper with no proper name, no other acount, conflicting seat numbers provided to more than one passenger. Things like these can be addressed first, by educating the mass through articles in newspapers, advocating the consumer right group, and meeting with transport enterprenuers and ticket agents. Till then hope the number of deaths this festive season do not exceed half a thousand.