The Bhutanese Leading the way.
The Bhutan Construction and Transport Authority (BCTA), in collaboration with the Royal Bhutan Police (RBP), has launched a new Motor Vehicle Crash Data System (MVCDS) on 31st December, 2025, marking a major step toward strengthening road safety, accountability, and evidence-based transport governance in Bhutan.
The MVCDS is a centralized digital platform designed to record, store, and analyse motor vehicle crash data in a structured and reliable manner. The system replaces fragmented and largely manual reporting processes that were time-consuming and vulnerable to inaccuracies, delays, and potential manipulation.
Developed through close collaboration between BCTA and RBP, the system was funded by JICA Bhutan at a cost of Nu 1.349 million and built by Cloud Bhutan.
The platform is hosted and administered by GovTech.
With its launch, the MVCDS will become operational nationwide from 1st January 2026, enabling traffic personnel across the country to enter crash data directly into the system in real time.
A BCTA official said the web-based system would significantly improve efficiency and transparency in accident reporting.
He said that earlier, accident documentation was a long and cumbersome process. Now, whenever there is a vehicle crash anywhere in the country, the designated traffic focal will visit the site and immediately upload the details into the system.
The traffic division of the RBP will serve as the custodian of the system, and personnel have already been trained in its use.
The real-time data generated by the MVCDS is expected to support multiple agencies, including BCTA, the Department of Surface Transport, and other relevant bodies, in policy formulation, road safety planning, and targeted interventions.
Further on 1st January, 2026 BCTA convened a nationwide meeting of passenger bus operators at the BCTA Conference Hall, chaired by the Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Chandra Bdr. Gurung.
The meeting focused on passenger safety, service reliability, and measures to reduce road accidents involving public transport.
According to BCTA officials, while many recent bus accidents were minor, their frequency is worrying.
In November and December 2025 alone, four bus accidents were reported across the country.
He said the discussions with operators comes as a special concern by the Minister of Infrastructure and Transport on the frequent bus accidents occurring recently.
According to the Royal Bhutan Police Statistical Yearbook 2024, Bhutan recorded 1,118 motor vehicle accidents in 2024. Single-vehicle accidents accounted for the largest share, with 536 cases or 47.94 percent, indicating factors such as driver error, speeding, fatigue, mechanical failure, and adverse road conditions.
Two-vehicle collisions followed with 398 cases.
Pedestrian safety also remains a concern, with 60 vehicle-pedestrian collisions recorded in 2024, and 52 hit-and-run cases.
In total, 634 people were injured in road accidents during the year, and 97 fatalities were recorded nationwide.
Heavy vehicles were involved in 169 accidents, light vehicles in 854 cases, medium vehicles in 50 cases, two-wheelers in 27 cases, and other vehicle types in 18 cases.
