Negligent driving: Three killed in road accident

GILGIT:

At least two women and a child were killed on Saturday after the vehicle they were travelling in skidded off the road and plunged into a deep gorge in a remote Gilgit-Baltistan valley.

Five others sustained injuries and were shifted to a hospital according to local sources.

Local volunteers helped rescue the wounded still trapped in the vehicle.

The incident occurred in Bar valley, a village in Nagar Valley, about 70km from Gilgit. The vehicle skidded after the driver lost control while negotiating a sharp turn. The vehicle was also reportedly overloaded.

Road accidents in the mountainous region are frequent primarily due to the difficult terrain and the lack of enforcement of traffic rules and safety regulations. In remote areas, communication is difficult to establish and people are not trained to carry out rescue operations.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 5^th, 2012.