Skip to main content

Nepal safety issues

The authorities in Nepal are establishing a road safety plan that is intended to reduce the country’s annual injury and fatality rates. Nepal’s Traffic Police Directorate recently announced figures showing that of the 8,503 accidents recorded in the 2010-2011 financial year, 4,914 occurred within the Kathmandu Valley. The police also said that factors causing accidents included the poor state of gravel and surfaced roads and inadequate traffic signs. Potholes are a major problem on Nepal’s road system accor
April 27, 2012 Read time: 2 mins
Nepal is investing in roads and hopes to boost safety. Picture: Nick Goodwin
The authorities in Nepal are establishing a road safety plan that is intended to reduce the country’s annual injury and fatality rates.

Nepal’s Traffic Police Directorate recently announced figures showing that of the 8,503 accidents recorded in the 2010-2011 financial year, 4,914 occurred within the Kathmandu Valley. The police also said that factors causing accidents included the poor state of gravel and surfaced roads and inadequate traffic signs. Potholes are a major problem on Nepal’s road system according to the police, as well as reducing traffic flow and increasing congestion.

Officials at Nepal’s 2437 Ministry of Physical Planning and Works said that poor road conditions are the result of government policy as well as the long tender process for repairing and improvement of potholes. However, the Ministry of Physical Planning and Works says that there has been progress in maintaining 7000m2 of potholed roads within the Kathmandu Valley and some 5000m2 elsewhere in the country. But because of the focus on reducing potholes, improved signage has moved down the priority list.

Due to the increase in road accidents along the six lane Kathmandu-Bhaktapur road section, one of the local hospitals nearby has carried out a programme focussing on how drivers follow road rules.

Meanwhile the authorities in urban Kathmandhu have been removing roadside advertising hoardings that proliferate in the city. These cause driver distraction and have been attributed as factors in many accidents. In addition, Nepal’s Home Ministry has opted to tackle safety problems arising from vehicles being overloaded with passengers. This has been identified as a major factor in high injury and fatality rates in specific accidents as well as being a factor in causing individual incidents.

Related Content

  • France a star in road safety
    September 3, 2012
    In the past, France had a poor road safety record. This has turned around to make the country a success story
  • The importance of road maintenance
    July 15, 2015
    Gülay Malkoc discusses the importance of investing in road maintenance.
  • Nepal's bridge building benefits from bank input
    February 15, 2012
    Nepal's transport network is to benefit from investment worth US$100 million, with a substantial portion being provided by the World Bank (WB).
  • Work zone safety solution on busy world highways
    December 3, 2013
    Globally renowned highway work zone safety solution manufacturers have been providing some of their latest systems to protect roadworkers and motorists on high volume traffic highways. Guy Woodford reports Versilis has provided one of its state-of-the-art work zone safety solutions during the rehabilitation of North America’s busiest highway. The Canadian road safety product innovator and manufacturer was retained by the Ministry of Transportation of Ontario (MTO) to install automated traffic control