Why road accidents are on the rise in Nepal

Samuna B.K. in Kathmandu, Nepal

15-year-old Samuna B.K. from the Nepali Newsroom looks at the causes of road accidents, and how to prevent them

More people are killed annually in Nepal due to road traffic accidents than floods, landslides and other natural disasters.

Recently, our ‘father’, Ramesh Dev Sunar, who has been taking care of more than 40 children at Mountain Children Home, was saved from a tragedy. While he was driving down the mountain to collect vegetables, the brakes of his jeep failed. Fortunately, he was able to stop the vehicle using the hand brake. Father was a little shaken up, but was unharmed.

Causes

Most road accidents happen between June and August, which is the monsoon season. Heavy rain during these months causes landslides and floods, blocking and damaging roads.

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However, natural disasters are not only responsible for road accidents. There are some other factors that are human-induced, such as driving under the influence of drink or drugs, using a mobile phone while driving, and being unqualified or inexperienced.

Poor roads with potholes, cracks, rough or uneven surfaces, inadequate drainage and the lack of safety barriers and signage lead to increased road accidents in Nepal.

Moreover, the lack of traffic rule enforcement for speeding, not using zebra crossings, and not using pavements is very common. Not using safety equipment such as motorcycle helmets, seatbelts and child restraints is also a contributing factor, as well as poor vehicle maintenance.

Mountain roads are often narrow and twisting, with blind bends and steep drop-offs, while in urban areas such as Kathmandu, traffic is heavy and road users, including pedestrians, often behave erratically.

Prevention

There are multiple preventive measures that could reduce the number of road accidents. If implemented, they could be lifesaving. These include:

Timely road maintenance and reconstruction
Regular repair and maintenance of vehicles
Following traffic rules and keeping to the speed limit
Using indicators and lights properly
Not using mobile phones or driving under the influence
Educating people on road safety and driving.

Overall, to decrease road accidents, people should drive more responsibly, and the government should build good roads.

Written by:

Samuna B.K.

Contributor

Kathmandu, Nepal

Born in 2010 in Bajura District in Nepal, Samuna studies in grade six in Kathmandu, Nepal. She is interested in journalism and plans to study journalism in the future. She is part of our Nepali Newsroom’s Intermediate group and writes about politics and tourism.

In her free time, Samuna enjoys dancing, cooking, reading and listening to music. She is the first girl in her class and she has won several awards in various competitions organised by her school including dance and games.

Samuna speaks Nepali, English and Hindi fluently.

Edited by:

Hesandi Ravisinghe

Science Section Editor 2025

Galle, Sri Lanka

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