Concerted efforts required to minimise road accidents

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2024-10-12T06:05:51+05:00 Zaheer Malik

K A N D H KOT   -  The number of fatal and disabling road accidents have been increasing day by day and it is a real public health challenge for government to stop the happening, roughly 1.2 million people die in accidents on the road since millions of people suffer serious, often life-altering injuries every year in pakistan.  Fatal and non - fatal accidents at National highways, Motorways, Grand Trunk (GT) and other main roads have increased due to rash driving and also ignorance of traffic rules throughout country.

Many of these injuries and deaths occur due to reckless driving accidents. Unfortunately, all too many people continue to engage in reckless driving behaviors despite knowing they significantly increase their risk of causing a major accident.

 According to World Health Organization (WHO) statistics, the road accidents deaths in pakistan reached 3 percent since 1.2 million people lost their lives while 30 to 50 million people suffer non fatal injuries due to road accidents every year.

According to various reports, there are several factors contribute to occur an accident such as over speeding, reckless driving, maintance, weather, ignoring traffic lights and road signs, driver behavior and equipment failure since the thousands of families lost their beloved ones in the fatal road accidents annually across the country.

Meanwhile in rare cases motorcyclists and pedestrians who are riding and walking the tracks and roads are victim of such accidents. It was reported that the majority of fatal accidents took place due to rackless driving, negligence, over speeding and over taking. It is also learnt that unskilled drivers without licences have been driving vehicles particularly cars, vans, buses and other long vehicles on the highways.

However experts also alleged that inexperienced and teenagers are also driving the vehicles at the highways as they have no any idea of indications and rules of driving resultantly accidents occurs. There is also lack of awareness among the drivers how to drive properly in the city, long routes as well as highways.

It is dire need of hour to use all technology and report hazardous condition of the road. A retired motorway official Nisar Ahmed lamented there is no proper mechanism of driving in pakistan especially in remote areas of country where inexperienced, teenagers and also minor children playing with their precious lives and drive the vehicles resultantly causes of major accidents. He said above than 85 percent accidents occurs due to reckless driving, intoxicate condition of drivers and without any rest of driving at the highways. Although we can found most of drivers from our routine life who use cellphones while driving at main as well as highways, attending calls, sending and receiving messages also resulting of accidents.

However mostly newly drivers not use safety belts and drive on recommended speed. Retiree also well - informed for proper law for driving in developed countries particularly in europe, first offender of reckless driving laws are subjected to full scope of penalties such as fine, suspension of license and prison, just it is because that it is ur first offense doesn’t mean you should take this lightly while specific punishment for reckless driving will be based on fact on your case.

 Reckless driving is serious offense government should taken proper initiatives against fake driving licenses and teenagers who are driving vehicles throughout the country and government should set up training centres and schools at least at district level.

 It is pertinent to add here that over speeding and reckless driving are the causes of traffic incidents.

On other hand the government is also unaware about the motorcyclists especially teenagers who are  putting their lives at risks by carrying out very dangerous stunts at various roads and highways.

Sorrowfully the parents also know very well that it will be very dangerous who allow to their children mainly minor kids for riding bikes in the city.

However government should take strict action against the bike riders , bike racers especially those who are below than eighteen years while  putting their bown lives in danger.

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