In Mon State, the rate of road accidents has continued to rise due to the lack of road maintenance, even though local authorities under the military junta regularly collect entrance fees, vehicle taxes, and travel-related charges, according to drivers and passengers.
Members of rescue organizations in Mawlamyine Township said there were about 30 traffic accidents reported in October alone, leaving at least three people dead.
A member of a local charity group in Mawlamyine explained that traffic congestion and worsening road conditions filled with potholes have contributed to the growing number of accidents.
“When we travel frequently, the roads are full of holes. When a vehicle hits a pothole, it can easily lose balance and crash. The poor road maintenance is a major factor. Just the other day, a driver was killed after slipping on sand dumped on the road,” he said.
Fatal accidents have also become increasingly common along Highway No. 8, where collisions between cars and motorcycles are frequent.
Meanwhile, the junta-controlled Road Transport Administration Department reportedly issues driver’s licenses without properly testing applicants’ driving skills, as long as they pay a certain amount of money.
As a result, underage drivers, overspeeding trucks, and reckless motorists continue to cause daily accidents across the region.
“From Mawlamyine to Ye, large trucks drive dangerously fast, leaving no space for motorcycles. Many near-miss situations occur every day, and there’s no enforcement of traffic rules,” said a local resident.
Since the military coup, traffic enforcement and road safety programs have completely stopped. Even in cases involving fatalities, no arrests or investigations are carried out, residents said.
According to data from rescue and firefighting teams, nearly 100 people die each month in Mon State due to various road accidents. Despite this, junta-controlled traffic police mainly focus on extorting bribes from unlicensed drivers rather than enforcing safety regulations, locals added.
