Smog leads to road accidents

Attock Deputy Commissioner (DC) Imran Hamid Sheikh has said that traffic accidents in the district have recently increased at an alarming rate.

A Rescue 1122 District Emergencies Officer said 800 accidents have occurred on various roads in the last three months. He added that the main reason behind increasing number of road accidents is the absence of tail lights behind trolleys and motorcycles. This is especially problematic during the winter time because of smog, he said, adding that visibility decreases even further after sunset, and as a result, the chances of accidents increase.

Under these circumstances, the participants at the meeting of the District Emergencies Board agreed that trolley or motorcycle drivers across the district must fix the rear lights of their vehicles. They must also install reflecting tapes on the back of their vehicles, so that they could be seen from a distance.

For this purpose, the DC has issued instructions under Section 15 of the Punjab Civil Administration Act 2017. Under this Act, no public transport vehicle can operate within the geographical limits of Attock District without adhering to the instructions issued.

Penalties under Section 188 of the Penal Code of Pakistan will be instituted against violators of the order if a reflecting tape is not clearly affixed behind vehicles. The restraining order will come in to effect from December 1, until further notice.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 30^th, 2021.