Update (17:21 NST, October 3, 2026)
The “Bill on Arrangements for Road Safety, 2083” was registered in the House of Representatives, the lower house of the federal parliament, on October 2, 2026 (Ashoj 16, 2083 BS), a day earlier than previously reported. The registration of the bill coincided with the conclusion of the second session of the House of Representatives on the same day, meaning further parliamentary discussion will await the next session.
The bill also proposes making hospitals and health institutions legally responsible for providing immediate treatment to road accident victims once they are brought in, according to Clickmandu. Furthermore, the National Road Safety Council, a body tasked with improving road safety, would be empowered to recommend stopping traffic on specific road sections if they are deemed unsafe, based on its studies and research, the research brief stated.
New data from Nepal Police Headquarters’ Traffic Directorate shows that in BS 2082, there were 25,771 road accidents, resulting in 2,289 deaths and 6,381 serious injuries. The Ministry of Home Affairs reported 1,233 deaths from 11,338 accidents in the first six months of the current fiscal year. On average, Nepal experiences 2,400 road accidents daily, involving 3,500 vehicles, according to the brief. It also highlighted that approximately 90 percent of road accidents are attributed to driver negligence, and motorcycles were involved in about 56 percent of accidents in fiscal year 2080/81.
The Nepali government has introduced a bill to establish a unified electronic system for road accident data, connecting police, hospitals, and insurance companies. This initiative aims to enhance road safety and reduce the high number of fatalities and significant economic losses from accidents nationwide.
The “Bill on Arrangements for Road Safety, 2083” was registered in the House of Representatives, the lower house of the federal parliament, on Ashoj 17, 2083 (BS). Minister for Infrastructure Development Sunil Lamsal introduced the bill, which proposes a national-level record system for accident data. Furthermore, Nepal Police and the National Road Safety Council, a body tasked with improving road safety, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to operate the Road Accident Information Management System (RAIMS) software.
The bill seeks to end the practice of solely blaming drivers for accidents by proposing a high-level committee of experts to investigate the actual causes, including infrastructure flaws and mechanical failures. This comes as Nepal faces a severe road safety crisis, with an average of 8 deaths daily nationwide and 5 in Kathmandu Valley alone. In fiscal year 2080/81, 2,369 people died in 22,927 accidents, with 6,160 seriously injured and 25,996 sustaining minor injuries. The economic damage from road accidents in FY 2080/81 was estimated at Rs 473.7 million.
Currently, road safety efforts are hampered by poor coordination among various bodies and weak enforcement of existing laws, such as the Vehicle and Transport Management Act, 2049. The National Road Safety Council, established in 2073 BS, has largely remained inactive due to a lack of legal framework and budget. Major causes of accidents include human error (driver negligence, overloading, passenger carelessness), poor road conditions, old vehicles, mechanical failures, speeding, drunk driving, and traffic violations.
Key Provisions of the Bill
- Strict monitoring of the competence and health of public transport drivers, with mandatory health checks for driver’s license renewal.
- Penalties for hospitals that delay treatment for accident victims and a proposal to establish modern trauma centers on national highways.
- Monitoring of vehicle imports to ensure adherence to safety standards, preventing unsafe vehicles from entering the Nepali market.
- Prohibition of vehicle use on unsafe road infrastructure until it meets safety standards.
- Formation of a special investigation committee to investigate accident causes, including infrastructure and systemic failures, and recommend preventive measures.
The bill is currently undergoing parliamentary discussion in the House of Representatives. After passing through both houses of the federal parliament and receiving presidential authentication, it will become law. However, a specific timeline for its full implementation remains unclear. Details regarding the full activation of the National Road Safety Council and the comprehensive integration of insurance companies into the digital system are also yet to be fully clarified.
