In brief
A collision involving a Hino truck and a rickshaw in Laghman province on Sunday evening caused two fatalities and three injuries, according to a police statement. The accident was attributed to reckless driving, and the injured were transported to the provincial hospital. The incident highlights ongoing safety concerns for Afghanistan’s road traffic.
On Sunday evening, a collision on the Kabul‑to‑eastern provinces highway in Laghman province killed two people and injured three, according to Xinhua’s report of a provincial police statement.
Details of the Accident
Xinhua cited that a Hino truck struck a rickshaw coming from the opposite direction in the Azizkhan Kas region of the highway, citing reckless driving as the main cause. The injured were taken to the provincial hospital for treatment.
The police statement did not mention any other parties involved and indicated that the truck's driver may have been operating without regard to the established speed limits.
Deadly road accidents remain a persistent issue in Afghanistan, a war‑torn country where deteriorating road conditions, reckless driving, and inadequate safety measures create hazardous conditions across challenging terrain and limited infrastructure, the report added.
Earlier this week, officials noted that the Kabul‑to‑eastern provinces route is one of the busiest, yet also among the least maintained, with frequent accidents stemming from poor road design, confusing signage, and lack of enforcement mechanisms.
Witnesses said the rickshaw was traveling slowly when the truck, apparently without proper braking, cut into its lane. Police are investigating whether the truck had faulty brakes or other mechanical issues.
The high‑traffic corridor between Kabul and the eastern provinces serves as a lifeline for commerce and aid, but ongoing security and infrastructure challenges have made it vulnerable to such accidents.
The Laghman provincial government has called for immediate road safety reforms, including better speed limit signage and stricter police oversight, to prevent further tragedies on these key transport corridors.