The government has determined the maximum speed a car can run on any road across the country. The announcement issued by the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) last Wednesday asked different types of vehicles to run at different speeds on the same road. However, lane-wise speed has not been differentiated in the notification. Therefore, the concerned persons think there is a danger of increasing the risk of accidents due to the difference in speed.
According to the announcement, motorcycles can be driven at a maximum speed of 60 km per hour on the expressway, 50 km per hour on the national highway, 40 km per hour on the regional highway, 30 km per hour in the city corporation area including Dhaka and 20 km per hour on the narrow roads of the city.
Analyzing the speed limit data, it can be seen that the maximum speed of vehicles on the expressway is 80 km and the minimum is 50 km. The maximum speed limit on 'A' category national highways is 80 kmph and the minimum speed limit is 50 kmph. On national highways of 'B' category, the maximum speed is 70 km, the minimum is 45. The maximum speed on district roads is 60 km, the minimum is 40.
Similarly speed limit has been fixed for passenger public transport, goods vehicles, and private vehicles. However, emergency service vehicles such as ambulances and fire service vehicles will remain exempt from this law. Again, the law will be relaxed in the case of all vehicles in emergencies.
The maximum speed of vehicles on national highways and regional highways passing through city corporations, municipalities, and district headquarters is 40 kmph, minimum of 30 kmph. The maximum speed of vehicles on internal roads of city corporations, municipalities and district headquarters, except national highways and regional highways, has been fixed at 40 kmph and minimum at 30 kmph.
The maximum speed on the Upazila highway is 40 km, and the minimum is 30. In urban areas, the maximum speed on primary urban roads is 40 kmph, the minimum speed is 30 kmph. The maximum speed on narrow/link roads and other roads in urban areas is fixed at 30 kmph, minimum at 20 kmph, and on rural roads at an average speed of 30 kmph.
BRTA Road Safety Department Director Sheikh Mohammad Mahbub-e-Rabbani said that the implementation of the speed limit has been determined through notification. The design speed of our roads is fine.
Meanwhile, experts feel that it will not be possible to reduce accidents by reducing the speed of vehicles on the road. Road discipline is needed to reduce accidents. There is no chance that there will be less order on the road if only the speed of the vehicles is reduced.
Professor Md Hadiuzzaman, former director of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) Accident Research Institute (ARI) said BRTA has good intentions; they want to reduce accidents. But unfortunately, I can't find a scientific way here. Instead of implementing the issue of lane-based speed, it seems ridiculous to allow different types of speed vehicles to drive on the same road.
Transport and communication expert, BUET professor Shamsul Haque said the speed should be lane-based. Speed will be higher in the first lane and slower in the second lane. Then there will be order on the road. Cars also run at 130 kmph speed on the expressway in the neighboring country. We just think that reducing speed will reduce accidents, but it is not scientific. Failure to separate lane-wise speed increases the risk of accidents.
ZH
