KARACHI:
Traffic accidents take place around the world, but in Pakistan, the frequency of dangerous traffic accidents is extremely high and has continuously risen. Recently, a passenger bus going to Karachi from Lahore crashed into an oil tanker and resulted in the immediate death of all passengers. Other motorway accidents have included passenger buses falling in ditches or speeding drivers losing control of their vehicles.
Much of the time the drivers for passenger buses are hired without any training and are not given any instructions to follow. Even when passengers tell drivers to slow down, they either don’t listen to the passengers or misbehave with them. Considering there are no authoritative bodies to regulate or monitor drivers’ behaviour, the passengers can not register their complaints with anyone, and drivers continue driving carelessly.
Another reason for the high frequency of accidents is that many motorways are either not entirely developed or are too narrow and often congest the road. This, therefore, causes traffic jams and dangerous accidents. The absence of signals and traffic police to regulate the traffic further allows people to violate rules and drive carelessly. Each year, thousands of people lose their lives in road accidents across the country. It is high time that the relevant authorities took stern action against transport companies hiring untrained drivers. All drivers should be trained, and CCTV cameras should be installed to monitor traffic on roads and motorways. People found violating traffic laws should be fined.
Abdul Wahab
Turbat
Published in The Express Tribune, September 4th, 2022.
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