Road accidents in Nepal: Speed management is the need of the hour

High-speed driving is a key risk factor in road accidents. The high speed increases the likelihood of road crashes, higher collision impact and the severity of resulting injuries. With an increasing speed, the drivers are at a greater risk of losing control of their vehicles as they have less time to anticipate upcoming hazards. An increase in speed also leads to a decrease in the driver’s field of vision, which leads to road users having lesser time to take preventive actions.

According to the World Health Organization, 1.35 million people die from road crashes globally. Higher speeding is estimated to be responsible for half of the total deaths (i.e. 650,000 people). Similarly, 22 million people are estimated to be injured annually because of speeding. In developed countries, speeding comprised 30% of the total road traffic crashes, and for low and middle-income countries, it is more than 50%. Similarly, it was projected that without sustained initiatives, more than 50 million people will die on roads and 500 million will get injured in road crashes between 2001 and 2050.