2018 Crackdown: Over 0.16m bikers fined for not wearing helmets

Traffic SSP says Police had also launched a special crackdown against those using fancy number plates

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad Traffic Police (ITP) has issued 833,534 tickets, issuing fines worth Rs242.193 million to commuters who violated traffic rules during 2018, the police sources said on Thursday.

Officials said that some 26,884 vehicles had been fined for putting up fancy (non-legal) number plates on their cars. Moreover, some 59,295 tickets were issued to motorists for not fastening their seat belts. A further 27,427 tickets were issued to motorists for using mobile phones while driving.

With the year seeing a large campaign against motorbike riders who did not wear helmets, the police issued some 161,121 tickets to motorbike riders.  Similarly, 14,721 amateur drivers were ticketed while 17,341 motorbikes and cars were impounded by various police stations of Islamabad for serious traffic violations and for not producing documents of their vehicles.

As many as 45,454 tickets were issued over lane violation, while an additional 19,424 tickets were issued for parking at the wrong place. The traffic police also issued 16,341 tickets for over speeding, while 27,858 tickets were issued for violating the red light. A further 15,510 tickets were issued for having tinted glasses on cars. As many as 30,260 tickets were issued for obstructing traffic, 73,722 tickets for overloading and 9,190 tickets were issued to vehicles for driving without proper registration.

Similarly, 22,462 public transporters were fined for route violation, 81,756 motorists were fined for careless driving and 16,402 road users were fined for making wrong turns.

Traffic SSP Farrukh Rasheed said that they had launched a special crackdown last year against those using fancy number plates.

He added that ITP personnel have been directed to ensure that traffic rules and regulation are implemented irrespective of the status or rank of the violator.  However, ITP personnel have also been directed to demonstrate patience and be polite while issuing traffic violation tickets to road users.

SSP Rasheed further said that the ITP was utilising all available resources to facilitate the public. He urged citizens to follow road rules and use number plates issued by the Excise and Taxation Office.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 4^th, 2019.