Speeding: One woman killed, 20 injured in road mishap

Accidents have increased in the area due to reckless driving.

KHWAZAKHELA: A woman identified as Khatoon Bibi was killed while 20 others were injured in a road accident near Kotanai village in Khwazakhela, Swat on Tuesday.

The police said a passenger van was coming from Khwazakhela when it crashed into a mini truck in Kotanai. Due to the collision, the van fell under a bridge and resulted in Khatoon Bibi’s death. Twenty other people, including two children were also injured.



Most of the injured passengers were taken to Khwazakhela Tehsil Hospital; six who were critically injured were moved to Saidu Teaching Hospital for treatment.

Road accidents have increased in the area because of reckless driving. “Untrained and underage drivers are the main cause of road accidents in the district,” said Iqbal Khan, shopkeeper in Khwazakhela. “Traffic police have turned a blind eye to these violations.”



Residents also complained there were no restrictions set by the police on over speeding. Bakht Jamal, a resident, claimed passenger vehicles driven by underage drivers were not the only problem. He added these young men drive fast and no one keeps them in check. Locals demanded traffic police and the district government to take action against violators of traffic rules.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 27^th, 2013.