Over 0.2m traffic violations tickets issued in five months

Helmet-less bike riding and not wearing seatbelt among most-fined-traffic violations

ISLAMABAD: In a period when rash driving has led to motorists being killed causing diplomatic tiffs between two nations, the Islamabad Traffic Police (ITP) has in the past five months issued more than 214,991 tickets to road users while 7,097 cars and motorbikes were impounded for violations of various traffic laws.

Police said they had penalised as many as 86,098 motorbike riders for not wearing a helmet, while 25,668 motorists were issued tickets for driving without using a seatbelt. These were the two most-fined traffic violations in the city, accounting for around half of all the traffic tickets issued in the past five months.

This despite the fact that the police have launched several awareness campaigns on these two critical elements.

Moreover, a total of 20,476 motorists were handed tickets for lane violations, 15,144 were caught using mobile phones while driving, around 12,342 tickets were issued over wrong parking and 12,918 tickets were issued for speeding.

Police said 6,103 motorists were fined for using tinted glasses while 304 were fined for smoke emitting vehicles.

As many as 12,086 motorists were flagged down after jumping a red light.

One such incident had proven to be fatal for a motorbike rider in April. A sports utility vehicle (SUV) driven by US Embassy Defence and Air Attaché Colonel Joseph Emanuel Hall ran the red light on the intersection of the Margalla Road and Seventh Avenue. But just as he did so, he slammed into a motorbike driven by 22-year-old Ateeq Baig.

The impact of the collision sent Baig and his pillion rider, Baig’s cousin Raheel, flying through the air. Baig was killed on the spot while his cousin suffered grievous injuries.

The matter added to the spiralling Pakistan-US ties after the former sought revocation of diplomatic immunity for Col Hall while the latter refused. Ultimately, the government allowed the defence attaché to leave the country while Baig’s family was paid Rs5 million in compensation.

Fancy number plates

The police also continued their campaign against the use of unapproved designs of number plates and unregistered vehicles.

A total of 17,472 tickets were issued to drivers using unapproved number plates while 6,380 motorists with ‘applied-for’ number plates were also penalised.

SSP (Traffic) Farrukh Rasheed said that a campaign is underway to ensure a disciplined system of traffic in the city. He also urged the citizens to follow rules.

He said that ITP personnel have been directed to ensure implementation of traffic rules and regulation irrespective of their status and rank.

He further urged them to demonstrate patience and politeness while issuing traffic tickets to the road users.

SSP Rasheed added that they were utilising all available resources to facilitate the general public.

“The force issues traffic violation tickets, not as a punitive measure, but the purpose is to ensure safe road environment in the capital and secure the lives of the people,” he explained.

He added that a special campaign is underway to check violations by Public Service Vehicles and motorcyclists while various squads have been constituted for the purpose.

 

 

Published in The Express Tribune, June 11^th, 2018.