Road carnage: 546 lives lost in traffic accidents

Violation by heavy vehicles including trailers, water tankers main cause

KARACHI:

A total of 546 people have lost their lives and 8,136 sustained serious injuries in traffic accidents in the city during the current year. Heavy vehicles were responsible for 165 of the fatal accidents involving trailers.

According to the data from the Chhippa Foundation, out of 546 fatalities, 425 were men, 51 women, 51 boys, and 19 girls. A major factor contributing to the high number of fatalities is the dangerous driving of heavy vehicles. In the first 219 days of the year, heavy vehicles were involved in 165 fatal accidents. Trailers were the most significant offenders, causing 62 deaths, followed by water tankers crushed 37 people, dumpers crushed 32 citizens, buses ran over 20, and Mazda took lives of 14 citizens. Despite meetings and directives from the traffic police to the transport representatives, heavy traffic continues to violate the set traffic laws.

Citizen groups argue that traffic police officials should form vigilance teams in Karachi to strictly monitor heavy vehicles entering the city.