LAHORE - The Punjab Emergency Service (Rescue-1122) Sunday observed the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims in all districts.
The DG Rescue Punjab said that the main objectives of observing the day was to provide a platform for road traffic victims and their families to remember all people killed and seriously injured on roads; acknowledge the crucial work of the emergency services, advocate for better support for road traffic victims and victim families and promote evidence-based actions to prevent and eventually stop further road traffic deaths and injuries. He also paid rich tribute to all those emergency responders include rescuers, police, medical professionals, and others who deal with the traumatic aftermath of road crashes daily.
In this regard, an awareness walks, seminars, rallies, and workshops were organized at all districts headquarters of Punjab to raise awareness among citizens for the prevention of road traffic crashes in accordance with the Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011–2020. The victims of road crashes were invited to the seminars to share their experiences of grievances, feelings, serious injuries, disabilities and loss of precious lives of their near and dear ones in road traffic crashes.
Addressing the awareness seminar, DG Rescue Punjab said that nearly 1.3 million people die annually and over 50 million disabled due to road traffic accidents, and 90 percent of these deaths occur in developing countries like Pakistan.
He highlighted the statistics of road traffic crashes in Punjab and said that the service has so far responded to over 2.6 million road traffic crashes across the province, whereas Rescue Service alone is managing around 970 road crashes daily. The data revealed that an accident occurs after every 1.6 minutes in which around 83 percent traffic crashes are evolved with the motorbike.
