KATHMANDU: Road accidents in Nepal are increasing at an alarming rate. The number of accidents is rising with every passing year due to poorly constructed roads, lack of regular inspections and maintenance of motor vehicles, reckless driving and frequent violations of traffic rules.
Over the past decade, more than 225,000 road accidents have been recorded across the country, resulting in over 22,000 deaths. In the last fiscal year 2023/24 alone, nearly 2,500 people lost their lives in road accidents, while in the current fiscal year, more than 150 deaths have already been reported, according to traffic police data. On average, seven people die in road accidents every day in Nepal.
Road accidents have become a leading cause of death in the country after natural disasters. Despite various efforts by the government to curb these incidents, their impact has been minimal due to weak implementation and enforcement.
The government has set an ambitious goal of halving road accidents within the next five years. This target is outlined in the draft of the National Road Safety Policy, 2025, prepared by the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport.
According to the policy, Nepal aims to reduce road accidents by 50% percent by 2030 compared to 2021 levels. By 2050, the goal is to bring deaths and serious injuries from road accidents down to zero.
To meet these objectives, the policy proposes putting in place an institutional mechanism for road safety management by engaging stakeholders at federal, provincial and local levels. Likewise, the policy emphasizes better coordination, collaboration and shared responsibility among all tiers of government. Furthermore, road safety programs will be implemented in a coordinated and integrated manner, supported by a dedicated road safety fund. The policy also prioritizes research and development in road safety.
The draft policy also calls for amendments and integration of existing road safety laws where necessary. Likewise, it envisages forming provincial and local road safety committees under the guidance of the National Road Safety Council.
Similarly, the draft proposes forming a national road safety action plan and investment plan which will be complemented by a multi-modal transport and land use plan, as well as the deployment of an Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) to enhance road transport management across the country.
The ministry has said that it intends to define and enforce vehicle safety standards for all types of vehicles, including those used for emergency and specialized services, such as ambulances, security agency vehicles, rapid response units, fire engines, fuel tankers, gas bullets and excavators. Similarly, the policy envisages improving vehicle roadworthiness testing and inspections by establishing modern vehicle testing centers in each province. It also proposes digitizing all vehicle-related records to ensure transparency and efficiency.
Additionally, the ministry plans to raise awareness about road safety through schools, universities, volunteers, civil society and non-governmental organizations. Likewise, it plans to integrate road safety education into academic curricula at all levels.
Currently, the transport sector is governed by the National Transport Policy 2001, National Health Policy 2019, Vehicle and Transport Management Act, 1992, and Public Roads Act, 1974. The ministry has stated that these laws will be amended as needed to align with the new policy.
Despite these plans, the ministry has acknowledged several ongoing challenges in improving road safety. These include unsafe road infrastructure and vehicles, a lack of road discipline, inadequate rescue and rehabilitation systems, insufficient resources, the absence of an integrated information system, a failure to implement scientific traffic management, low public awareness and poor enforcement of road safety laws.
