RASC News Agency: The Emergency Hospital has revealed a staggering fivefold increase in traffic-related incidents in Afghanistan since the Taliban assumed power. This troubling statistic follows two catastrophic traffic accidents in Ghazni province, which claimed the lives of 52 individuals and left more than 60 injured. According to the hospital, traffic incidents were significantly lower during the Republic, but they have surged dramatically under Taliban governance.
The report stated:
“Between March 2022 and March 2024, the number of recorded traffic incidents rose from 2,662 to 5,520.” On Thursday, December 18, two devastating collisions occurred on the Kabul-Kandahar highway in Ghazni. Local media reported at least 52 fatalities and over 60 injuries. This highway, a critical route connecting Kabul with western Afghanistan, has become notorious for frequent and deadly accidents.
Similar tragic incidents have been reported in the past week in Nangarhar and Herat provinces, further highlighting the crisis. The primary causes of these accidents include poor road conditions, excessive speeding, disregard for traffic regulations, and mechanical failures of vehicles. The Emergency Hospital’s report emphasized that while roads were reopened after the Taliban’s takeover, they have remained in a state of disrepair with no significant reconstruction or maintenance efforts.
“Rampant poverty has compelled many travelers to use overcrowded and unsafe vehicles,” the hospital noted.
The report also issued a dire warning: inadequate oversight, the absence of safety standards, combined with adverse weather conditions and frequent landslides, are fueling the steady rise in these tragic accidents. The findings underscore an urgent need for comprehensive reforms in road infrastructure, stricter traffic regulation enforcement, and improved vehicle safety standards to prevent further loss of life.
