Women bikers face aggression

Report highlights stalking, unsafe driving behaviour, growing safety concerns

LAHORE:

Women riding scooters on Lahore's roads have become an increasingly visible part of the city's workforce and economic activity, but growing incidents of harassment, road aggression and traffic-related risks continue to raise concerns about their safety, according to a special investigative report.

The report, compiled using data from various Punjab institutions, highlights the challenges faced by women commuters despite their expanding presence on city roads.

According to recent statistics from the Punjab Safe Cities Authority's "Virtual Women Police Station," more than 82,000 women contacted emergency helplines during the past year to report issues faced on roads.

Around 45% of the complaints were directly linked to stalking and road bullying. Police records further showed that over 800 cases involving serious harassment incidents were registered in different areas of Lahore, while approximately 2,500 incidents of women riders being secretly filmed and targeted through social media trolling were reported in 2025.

The report identified aggressive driving behaviour by male motorists as a major factor contributing to unsafe conditions for women riders.

Observations included instances where male drivers allegedly considered being overtaken by a woman as a challenge to their ego, often responding with dangerous overtaking manoeuvres and reckless driving.

Survey findings cited in the report claimed that nearly 90% of women riders regularly experienced situations where male drivers intentionally drove too close to intimidate or pressure them on roads.

Psychologist Dr Tahira Malik said women riders were not merely driving vehicles but navigating a socially hostile environment.

"When male drivers unnecessarily approach closely or continuously honk, it directly affects women's mental focus and decision-making ability," she said.

Affifa Kamran, a woman commuter quoted in the report, said many male drivers "cannot tolerate a woman overtaking them and often respond with risky cuts and aggressive behaviour."

Inspector Humaera Rafaqat observed that many women failed driving tests not because of lack of skill but due to fear of public humiliation in case of failure.

Similarly, Inspector Saima said traffic authorities could teach women how to operate vehicles, "but teaching ethics and responsible behaviour to male drivers remains the bigger challenge."

University student Javeria Nawaz said harassment on roads often distracted women riders from safe driving. "When boys deliberately bring motorcycles close to pass comments, my attention shifts from the road to personal safety. If an accident occurs, society blames the woman instead of the harasser," she said.

Contrary to common stereotypes regarding women drivers, Rescue 1122 statistics presented in the report showed that women accounted for only 19.4% of injuries in approximately 480,000 annual traffic accidents reported across Punjab.

Investigative findings further suggested that nearly 60% of accidents involving women riders were linked to external road aggression and reckless behaviour by other motorists.

The report also noted that many incidents remained unreported because women feared family restrictions.

More than half of affected women reportedly avoided filing complaints due to concerns that their families might stop them from riding scooters altogether in the name of safety.

Legal delays and distrust of police procedures were also cited as reasons discouraging women from reporting harassment cases.

The report concluded that women commuters had become an important component of Lahore's economic activity and stressed that the issue was not women's driving ability but the lack of ethical behaviour and responsible road culture.