The World Health Organization identifies speed as one of the key risk factors for road crashes. If figures are any indication, this traffic issue is receiving the required attention in Bhutan. Police say there has been a steady decline in the speeding violations over the past five years.
Records maintained with the traffic division of police show a drop in the number of people fined for over speeding from 159 in 2012 to 47 in 2016. This, according to police, is mainly due to the introduction of radar speed guns.
The OC for Thimphu Traffic Division, Kencho Tshering said apart from regular nationwide highway checking, the police also creates awareness on traffic safety through various mediums.
He added as per the Road Safety and Transport Act, the speed limit on a highway is 50 kilometres per hour and 30 kilometres per hour in the nearby settlements. In the town, although the speed limit is strictly 30 kilometres per hour, he said police advises people to drive slower.
According to the WHO, speed contributes to around one-third of all fatal road traffic crashes in high-income countries, and up to half in low- and middle-income countries.
In Bhutan, in between 2012 and 2016, about 400 people were killed and nearly 2,300 injured due to road accidents.
