Reckless driving claims 18 lives in Lahore during Ramazan

Rescue 1122 official says over 3,500 people suffered injuries in different parts of city

LAHORE: Approximately 18 people have lost their lives while more than 3,500 people suffered injuries in 3,401 road accidents in different parts of the city since the holy month of Ramazan started two weeks ago.

According to a Rescue 1122 official, most cases of road accidents are reported near Iftar time because people are in a hurry to reach their homes. Besides, the rush on road also increases.

SP Traffic Asif Siddique asked the public to drive carefully. He said people are dying almost every day and suffering serious injuries due to such mishaps.

Talking to The Express Tribune, Rescue 1122 Director General Dr Rizwan Naseer said that the rescuers were responding to 950 road accidents on a daily basis across Punjab. Around 1,000 people, including males, females, pedestrians, passengers, drivers and underage drivers are provided emergency medical treatment.



While expressing serious concern over the increasing number of road accidents, he said 25 cases of spinal injury, caused by road accidents, are being reported in the city every day. According to him, motorcycles are involved in 85 per cent cases of accidents, which requires strict enforcement of traffic laws. He appealed to the parents to strictly warn and ensure their underage children do not drive cars and ride motorcycles because it is against the law. "Most of the traffic accidents are avoidable if citizens abide by road safety laws."

On Friday, at least five people, including two children and a woman, died in two separate road accidents in the provincial metropolis.

Police said that rickshaw driver Mukhtar, 45, Sumaira, 25 and a child lost their lives when a tractor collided with their vehicle near Karok Ghatti. Another victim identified as Maqboola Bibi suffered fractured legs.

In another incident in Kahna, a father and his son were killed. Police said that they were on the way home on a motorcycle when they hit an electric pole. As a result, the victims fell and suffered injuries.

They were taken to a nearby hospital where doctors pronounced them dead. Police said that the accident occurred due to speeding.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 3^rd, 2018.