Pakistan loses 25,000 lives in accidents annually
Shares
LAHORE: Pakistan has one of the highestaccident rate in the world as nearly 25,000 people dieannually in the road accidents.
This was stated by the speakers, including Masood Anwar, the Additional Secretary Transport, Zohaib Ahmed from OPUS, QaiserKhattana, the chairman Institute of Road Safety Traffic EnvironmentPakistan (IRSTEP), Dr Murtaza Asad Bukhari, the Senior SpecialistTransportation Management Urban Unit Punjab, Saleem Janjua,Head of Policy, Urban Development Centre of Excellence ChinaPakistan Economic Corridor, Peter Turner, an Int' Public TransportSpecialist and Dr Umar Masood Qureshi, during theirpresentations in Urban Transport Conference-2017 held here on Wednesday.
They said that current figures were alarming enough, evenmore alarming was the trends and attitudes, if they continued,the number of people killed and injured on roads will begrown double in coming years and thus would become burden ofcost to family, society, business and the government.
They said road safety was a global issue that ranksas one of the most pressing matters facing society today dueto simultaneous growth in population, urbanization, andmotorization.
Although, traffic safety is now on the global agenda yetthere is dire need to work on people specially drivers'behaviour for safety of roads. They should be educated fordeveloping vehicle-handling skills.
The IRSTEP is demonstrating that road death and injury ispreventable and to ensure road safety, the IRSTEP has encouragedand supported several activities, including participation inworkshops, seminars and conferences which build a community ofknowledge.
The institute is dedicated to save lives througheducation and training.
The Punjab government in collaboration with OpusInspection (Pvt) Ltd has taken a revolutionary step in thefield of road safety and environmental protection byintroducing a modern and computerized Vehicle Inspection &Certification System (VICS) network. Under the system, allpublic service vehicles operating in Punjab will be regularlyinspected for fitness and awarded a fitness certificate uponsatisfaction that the vehicle is safe to ply on roadsand highways and its noise and emission levels are withinenvironment-friendly limits.
