‘Road safety is a shared responsibility’

Road safety is not just the domain of police but a shared societal responsibility, and everyone must play their role to reduce traffic accidents.

“Many road accidents can be prevented if we are alert and practice safe and courteous road use,” said Motorways and National Highway Police (MNHP) Additional Inspector General Abbas Malik, while addressing the inauguration ceremony for the Road Safety Council of Pakistan (RSCP) on Tuesday.

Malik said that being a good citizen requires that everyone must demonstrate a strong commitment to road safety by ensuring safe driving, safer roads and safest vehicles.

RSCP’s inaugural chairman Engineer Irfan Baloch gave an overview of the organisation and the need it will fill.

“Our main objective is to reduce the traffic crashes and injuries by generating awareness about road safety and build a sense of responsibility in people,” he said, adding, “We want to save precious lives through the prevention of road traffic accidents, and we strongly believe that all road crashes are preventable.”

The council, he said, will help road traffic accident victims by providing them with financial assistance for treatment through donations, arranging blood - if required - from their blood donor network and organizations.

Baloch added that the council will also provide free training and first-aid kits to help save lives.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 27^th, 2020.