Report on road accidents on highways

Title page

                          REPORT

    CAUSES OF ROAD ACCIDENTS ON THE HIGHWAYS OF NEPAL

Submitted to:
The Minister
Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport
Singha Durbar, Kathmandu

Submitted by:
Mr. Tek Bahadur Khadka
Chairman, Highway Accident Study Committee

30 November 2026

Acknowledgements

The committee thanks the Honourable Minister for entrusting us with this important task. We are grateful to the Department of Transport Management, the Nepal Police Traffic Directorate, the Department of Roads and the hospitals that supplied accident data. We also thank the drivers, passengers, traffic police and officials on the five highways for sharing their experience. The committee members and the staff who prepared the report deserve special thanks.

Tek Bahadur Khadka Chairman

Table of contents

Acknowledgements ....................................... i
Abstract .............................................. ii
1. Introduction ........................................ 1
2. Method of study ..................................... 2
3. Findings ............................................ 4
   3.1 Trends and location of accidents ................ 4
   3.2 Human causes .................................... 5
   3.3 Vehicle and road causes ......................... 7
4. Conclusion .......................................... 9
5. Recommendations .................................... 10
References ............................................ 12
Appendices ............................................ 13

Abstract

Every year, more than two thousand people die and many thousands are injured in road accidents in Nepal, mostly on the highways. This report identifies the causes of these accidents. The committee analysed five years of police records for five highways (Prithvi, Tribhuvan, Mahendra, Araniko and BP), visited 15 black spots, surveyed 250 drivers, and held discussions with the traffic police. The study found that human error accounts for about 70 percent of the accidents, with overspeeding, careless overtaking, drunk driving and fatigue being the leading causes. Vehicle faults such as brake failure and overloading cause about 12 percent, and road factors, including sharp bends, potholes, a lack of signs and landslides, cause about 15 percent. Weak law enforcement and poor driver training worsen the problem. The report recommends strict enforcement, better driver licensing, road safety engineering and public awareness.