A rise in purchasing power as well as growing ease in banking systems has made it easier for more people to own and ride vehicles in the past few decades. As a result, the number of automobiles and motorists has increased over the years, putting extra burden on the already crowded roads. However, precious little has been done to ensure safety of the vehicles and their drivers and passengers. While road accidents do happen due to human error, Nepal also faces the problem of poor infrastructure that increases the chances of road accidents. Without exception, Nepal’s roads are full of potholes. It seems as if the roads are waiting for yet another victim to fall into those potholes and lose life or limb. Drivers and passengers, thus, become victims of the irresponsibility exhibited by road developers while building or servicing roads.

Although there is a provision of maintaining vehicle fitness, the lengthy process of getting a test done means there is no incentive for drivers to keep their vehicles safe except when required mandatorily. Urban centres like Kathmandu, Pokhara and Birgunj, among others, seriously lack cycle and pedestrian lanes, foot overbridges and pedestrian crossings, leading to a large number of avoidable deaths. The fact that over 70 percent of those killed in road actions are pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists also shows how road safety also involves issues of class and access. Moreover, lack of hospitals in places other than metro cities means that those who meet with accidents fail to receive emergency treatment, leading to an increase in fatalities.

Research conducted by the World Bank showed that road accidents have increased consistently since the early 2000s. The fiscal year 2017-18 witnessed 2,541 reported road deaths, with a fatality rate of 8.59 per 100,000 people, while the World Health Organisation estimates that the fatality rate in 2016 was 15.9 per 100,000 people. In 2019, around 2,700 were killed and 10,000 seriously injured in 13,000 road accident cases. With around 40 percent of those killed being less than 26 years old, and road accidents becoming the second leading cause of fatality among men aged 15-49, the status of road safety in Nepal is dire, to say the least.

Thankfully, the authorities continue to enforce drunk driving tests, effectively reducing the number of accidents arising from driving under the influence. However, there is hardly any mechanism among the authorities to check other kinds of traffic offences, such as overspeeding, which is a major cause of accidents. The licensing procedure remains outdated and in disarray as the authorities fail to provide driving licence test slots and certificates to hundreds of thousands of aspirants. There is little incentive among drivers to follow road safety rules even as they receive little education on following them for their own safety. Even when a third of all road accident victims are motorcyclists, the riders often use low-quality helmets while pillion riders do not wear a helmet at all, increasing their risk of serious injury and death in case of accidents. The authorities must continue to strengthen their surveillance mechanism to punish rogue drivers, and let disciplined drivers drive peacefully.