LAHORE - The National Highways & Motorway Police (NH&MP) have established as many as 32 ‘wake up’ points at prominent places of N-5 central zone to control the accidents due to dozing at wheel.

Dozing at wheel or sleep deprivation is one of the leading causes of accidents on national highways and motorways.

The leading causes of dozing at wheel are long distance continue travelling, business pressure, lack of awareness, excessive snoring, constant daytime sleepiness, disturbed sleep, concentration and memory issues and choking or gasping while sleeping.

The accidents analysis of year 2016 reveals that three accidents occurred in dozing at the wheel which caused five deaths and nine injuries out of 42 accidents on national highway in N-5 Central.

The Central Zone imparted briefing to 18783 public service vehicles, 22186 heavy transport vehicles, 13744 light transport vehicles regarding awareness campaign about dozing at the wheel.

On the directions of DIG Mirza Faran, the N-5 Central Zone is observing one-week ‘Dozing at Wheel’ campaign in which officer will brief motorists especially drivers of HTVs and PSVs to take proper rest during long journey and in case they feel drowsy, they should stay somewhere and have a cup of tea.

The officers have also been directed to ensure the use of hooter and horn whenever any HTV vehicle or passenger bus passes them especially in the late hours of night.

The officers have also been asked to visit different hotels and rest areas besides national highway to brief and educate the drivers staying there about the phenomenon of ‘dozing at wheel’.

In order to make this campaign more successful and meaningful, the Mobile Education Unit of Central Zone will also visit different goods transport and passenger bus terminals from Lahore to Rahim Yar Khan in order to brief and educate drivers about the hazards of driving while drowsy.

Banners containing awareness messages will also been displayed at all the important places on national highways.