Seven people have been killed and four others severely injured in separate traffic accidents across Badghis and Nimruz provinces, underscoring the lethal safety hazards on Afghanistan’s poorly maintained highway network.
The de facto police command in Badghis reported that the deadliest crash occurred along the treacherous Band-e Sabzak mountain pass on the strategic Qala-e-Now to Herat highway. A high-speed passenger vehicle (“Eco”) veered off the narrow mountain route and plunged into a deep ravine, killing four passengers instantly—including two women and two children—and leaving one person critically injured.
Compounding Traffic Disasters across Southern and Western Provinces
In a concurrent accident in southwestern Nimruz province, three additional fatalities and three injuries were confirmed following a high-speed collision along a major transit route.
Local emergency responders and transport officials attribute the escalating frequency of fatal highway disasters across western and southern provinces to a combination of persistent structural and behavioral factors:
- Severe Infrastructure Degradation: Major arterial highways, particularly mountainous passes like Band-e Sabzak, suffer from unmaintained road surfaces, lack of safety guardrails, and erosion, rendering sharp turns hazardous during seasonal weather shifts.
- Lack of Speed Regulation and Reckless Driving: Speeding, driver fatigue, and improper overtaking remain widespread due to the complete absence of traffic enforcement mechanisms outside major urban centers.
- Overloaded and Substandard Vehicles: Worn tires, faulty braking systems, and passenger overcrowding significantly heighten crash severity when vehicles lose traction on steep inclines or unpaved descents.
The Growing Human Toll on Afghan Highways
Traffic accidents continue to rank among the leading causes of non-combat deaths and trauma casualties across Afghanistan, placing immense pressure on poorly equipped provincial medical facilities.
Transport safety experts warn that without urgent capital investments in highway repairs, safety barriers, and strict enforcement of traffic compliance, transit corridors across rugged western provinces will continue to claim dozens of civilian lives weekly.