KATHMANDU: Not a single day passes by without the news of road accidents in the Kathmandu Valley.

If the compiled data of Metropolitan Traffic Police Division (MTPD) is to be believed, the Valley has witnessed 278 road accidents in the last three-month period, in which 19 people lost their lives.

Altogether 470 motor vehicles and bicycles were involved in the accidents which left 354 injured. Condition of 68 of them is very critical.

According to the MTPD, there are 15 accident-prone intersections in the Valley where both the motorists and pedestrians might stumble across fatalities anytime.

The 15 locations, as per the number of road disasters recorded within the past three-month period beginning mid-July are Satdobato, Maitighar, Thankot, Kalanki, Babarmahal, Maharajgunj, Min Bhawan, Bhaktapur, Sitapaila and Jawalakhel. Likewise, Gatthhaghar, Gangabu, Airport, Chabahil/Bouddha and Sukedhara have also witnessed more number of road mishaps than other intersections.

Interestingly, all the 278 road accidents that occurred during the period were exclusively shared by these 15 "hotspots".

Of these places, Satdobato recorded the highest figure with 31 accidents. Airport Road and Sukedhara recorded the least number of road mishaps with 13 each. Similarly, Maitighar witnessed 26 road mishaps, Thankot 24, Kalanki 22 and Babarmahal 20. Maharajgunj, Min Bhawan, Bhaktapur, Sitapaila and Jawalakhel recorded 19, 18, 17, 16 and 15 mishaps, respectively. Fifteen accidents were recorded at Gatthhaghar while Gangabu, Chabahil/Bouddha witnessed 14 each.

Of the vehicles involved in the accidents, motorcycles turned out to be the most ill-fated means of transportation. Such two-wheelers are involved in 217 road tragedies.

Police attribute the cause of such fatal mishaps to carelessness, overtaking, high speed, drink driving, overload, mechanical breakdown and slapdash pedestrians and jaywalkers.

"Road hogs have long become a nuisance in the Valley roads," argued DSP Bikash Shrestha, operation in-charge, MTPD. He also claimed that they were successful in reducing number of the accidents in recent times.