A survey has revealed that 51 percent of motorcycles in Dhaka city run above the prescribed speed limit, posing a significant risk to road safety.

The study also found that 24 percent of vehicles on local and collector roads in Dhaka North exceed the speed limit.

The findings came from the “Status Summary Report 2024,” released on Monday at the Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) conference room.

DNCC Chief Engineer Brigadier General Moin Uddin attended the event as chief guest.

The survey was jointly conducted under the Bloomberg Philanthropies Initiative for Global Road Safety (BIGRS) by Johns Hopkins International Injury Research Unit (JH-IIRU) and the Centre for Injury Prevention and Research, Bangladesh (CIPRB).

Presenting the methodology, including site selection and data collection process, CIPRB Director Dr Selim Mahmud Chowdhury briefed the audience, while Dr Shirin Wadhania of JH-IIRU presented the key findings.

She said that considering the globally recommended speed of 30 km per hour, analysis showed that 24 percent of vehicles on Dhaka North’s local and collector roads run above the speed limit. Based on BRTA’s 2024 guidelines, the overall analysis revealed that 23 percent of all vehicles exceeded the permissible speed.

By vehicle type, 51 percent of motorcycles run above the speed limit. On local and collector roads, 29 percent of vehicles move faster than allowed. Speeding is slightly higher on holidays (26 percent) compared to weekdays (22 percent), she added.

Dr Selim Mahmud noted that in May 2024, BRTA issued a directive aligning with WHO standards, setting the maximum speed at 80 km per hour for highways and expressways, and 40 km per hour for city roads.

The guidelines categorize speed limits by road and vehicle type, authorize local authorities to set rational limits, and mandate speed limit signage on highways and expressways, he said.

Joint Secretary of the Road Transport and Highways Division, Muniruzzaman, said many safety measures exist but are not effectively enforced.

Public awareness and strict adherence to traffic laws are vital, he stressed.

Brig Gen Moin Uddin said that according to the published report, 283 people died in road accidents in Dhaka Metropolitan area in 2023.

We don’t want to lose a single life prematurely. With collective efforts, we can make significant progress in road safety, he said.

Other speakers, including DTCA’s Senior Road Safety Specialist Mamunur Rahman, Gulshan Division ADC (Traffic) Ziaur Rahman, and Health Directorate Deputy Director Dr Kulsum Ara, highlighted measures such as improved coordination, camera-based monitoring, and presenting year-wise statistics separately.

The event was attended by DNCC officials, Dr Shariful Alam of Global Health Advocacy Incubator, Aminul Islam Sujon of Vital Strategies, and representatives from various government and international organizations.

Road traffic crashes remain one of the leading causes of death and disability worldwide. According to WHO’s Global Status Report on Road Safety 2023, Bangladesh recorded 31,578 deaths from road accidents in 2021, up from 15.3 deaths per 10,000 people in 2016 to 19 deaths in 2021.