CTPL cracks down on underage drivers

Over 3,000 tickets were issued during the first two days of Eid

LAHORE:

City Traffic Police Lahore (CTPL) issued 3310 tickets against underage drivers and impounded 411 bikes for reckless riding on Eid day.

CTPL had announced a crackdown against racing, one-wheeling, hooliganism and underage driving, a major reason behind fatal crashes during Eid. Extra wardens were deployed on major roads, chowks and nearby recreational spots and pickets were set up, said Chief Traffic Officer (CTO) Muntazir Mehdi.

He added that 31 cases were registered against one-wheeling and racing during the first two days of Eid. As many as 3,310 were issued tickets for underage driving and 411 motorcycles were impounded for rash driving.

Underage drivers cause more frequent road crashes so underage drivers, one wheelers must be discouraged by parents, he added.

Parents should not give bikes, vehicles or rickshaws to their children to drive, Mehdi asserted. This does not mean Eid passed without fatal accidents.

On Eid morning, a young driver crashed into a barrier near Ichra flyover. The victim, identified as Muhammad Bilal, died at the scene.

On Wednesday, the second day of Eid, a 32-year-old woman died in a road accident while her two brothers were injured in Harbancepura.

The victim, identified as Atiqa, was aboard a motorbike with her two brothers near Harbancepura on Canal Road, when they were hit by a speeding car.

The victims all received injuries, but Atiqa succumbed to hers. As per data compiled by the Punjab Emergency Ser vice Department, At least 15 people died, whereas 1648 were injured in 1496 Road Traffic Crashes (RTCs) across all 37 districts of Punjab on Thursday.

Of the injured, 1,060 people with severe injuries were shifted to different hospitals, whereas 588 victims with minor injuries were treated at the incident site.

The majority of RTCs involved motorbikes. Further analysis showed that 719 drivers, 39 underage drivers, 170 pedestrians, and 774 passengers were among the victims of RTCs.

The statistics show that 274 RTCs were reported in Lahore with 311 victims, placing the Provincial Capital at top of the list.

Lahore was followed by Faisalabad, with 115 RTCs and 123 victims and Gujranwala at third with 106 RTCs and 93 victims.