According to statistics released by the National Road Safety Council, the number of road accidents have been on the rise for ten years, but the number declined in 2018. However, the number of deaths from road mishaps increased again in early 2019. The situation has alerted us of the need to carefully handle the issue.

The increase in the number of fatal road accidents paints a worrisome picture.

Drivers and passengers not wearing seatbelts, driving under the influence of alcohol, distracted driving and crossing speed limits, and using mobile phones while driving have been identified as major causes for road mishaps, according to experts.

It has been found that half the road accidents in Myanmar are caused by motorcycles.

Nationwide, motorcycle accidents accounted for 49 per cent of the total mishaps in 2018, in which 2,376 people died and 12,985 were injured.

Use of quality helmets can reduce the risk of death, and awareness about using quality helmets must be raised among the people.

The Myanmar New Year festival is drawing near. We must make preparations and take measures to reduce road accidents during the four-day festival, which starts on 13 April.

At the festival last year, there were 317 road mishaps, which killed more than 640 people and injured 106.

Four measures can help us ensure national road safety— wearing helmets (for motorcyclists) and seatbelts, refraining from using mobile phones while driving, abstaining from drinking while driving, and taking care not to over speed.

The tasks for implementing road safety are of great importance for the nation, as they are tasks that need to be carried out specifically for the safety of people’s lives.

There are steps that can be taken by everyone every day that will make roads safer — motorists need to be aware of people on foot and on bicycles, and people on foot and on bicycles need to take responsibility for their own safety as well.

If drivers and road users follow the vehicle, traffic, and road rules, loss of property, lives, and limbs can be reduced significantly.

Public participation is the key for reducing accidents, and awareness is no small responsibility for anyone on the road.

Only if we participate and take responsibility on the road can we meet the global road safety goal of ‘Towards Zero together’.