City Traffic Police Lahore’s new policy for citizens to wear
helmets has resulted in criticism from the people who are demanding the
withdrawal of the order.
The traffic police had declared it mandatory for people to use helmets. This
policy applies to bikers, pillion riders, and women and children.
The new rules are applicable from the start of November.
The City Traffic Police’ new policy has made it difficult for to move without
helmet. Besides it, many factors involving the public safety including the
broken footpaths, faded signs and reflectors as well as signal free corridors
have completely been ignored.
Even the motorcyclists have not been provided separate lanes for their bikes on
the city roads.
Pakistan Motor Vehicle Ordinance 1969, 89-A, orders that: "Rider to wear helmet.
No person shall drive, or ride the pillion seat of, a two-wheeled motor vehicle
except when he is wearing a crash helmet.
In this Part, "crash helmet" means a helmet made of such material or stuff and
meeting such other necessities as may be established. Currently, the
constitution in Pakistan does not prescribe a standard for motorcycle helmets or
a necessity for motorcycle helmets to meet an international safety standard such
as United Nations Regulation No 22.
Penalty: Driver of motorcycle without safety helmet 200 PKR.
Traumatic head (brain) injuries are a major cause of death, serious injury, and
permanent disability more motorcycle users in Pakistan.
The number of motorcycles in Pakistan is speedily growing, in the year 2016 or
2017 solitary, the total number of motorcycles make were 1,558,964. And the
total number of sales was 1,557,792.
The World Health Organization global best practice standard for motorcycle
safety is a lawful standard for helmet safety and use of a standard’s mark to
recognize helmets, which meet the standard, motorcycle helmet constitutions
covering all motorcycle users and implementation of these constitutions.
According to World Health Organization, Non-helmeted motorcycle users are three
times more likely to help brain/head injuries in an accident compared to those
wearing a mightily secured helmet. Traumatic head (brain) injuries are a major
cause of death, serious injury, and permanent disability more motorcycle users
in Pakistan.
Wearing a helmet has been reveal to reduce the risk and severity of injuries
more motorcyclists by about 70%, the likelihood of death by almost 40%, and to
substantially decrease the costs of health care associated with such accidents.
But, the question arises here that how can a poor rider afford helmet
When as per the new policy of the city government, the helmet prices have gone
high and out of people reach. A normal helmet is priced at Rs. 1,600 to Rs.1,
800 while a quality helmet is for Rs.2, 500 to Rs.3, 000 in the market.
Here’s what CTO Lahore has to add about the concerns when he was being
interviewed on this matter:
Although in Section 89 of the Motor Vehicles Ordinance 1965, it is written that
we must wear helmet while riding bikes because incase of a road accident, you
may have an injury on brain and may loss a life in this situation. People still
don’t follow this rule even now whereas it is necessary to wear Helmets since
1965.
“Pakistan is not like other countries at all, but we can make Pakistan like
these countries who follow rules”
If we will follow the section 89 of the motor vehicle ordinance 1965, and
consider a duty to wear a helmet only then we can save our lives as well as
others.he added
Malik Liaqat says, the rate of helmet was usually 7-800 while imposing, but when
the demand of anything is increased then its rate also increases. That’s why;
CTO Lahore has fixed an amount from 500-1100rs in order to buy a helmet easily.
You should give a proof of being a good citizen. When you should buy a
motorcycle then you must buy a helmet with it, says Liaqat.
“ You should not wait to impose that kind of law. This law has been imposed in
order to save your life and wealth. And there is no importer behind it”.
While talking to him about public’s criticism, he explained; the reaction of the
public is mixed. According to someone, this step is positive as well as
negative. It is positive because the life of people saves from damage in order
to wear a helmet. It is also considered negative at the time because ordinary
people or poor people do not have enough money to buy such expensive helmets.
Although people have enough money to buy motorcycles, but it is quiet surprising
that they do not have enough money to buy helmet for security concerns? He
questions.
The CTO Lahore said that, if you have head injury in case of road accidents then
you spend 5000 to 10000 rupees on MRI and also spend 15000 to 20000 rupees on CT
scan, but you don’t bother to buy a helmet of only 1000 rupees.
It is essential for everyone to prevent from a road accident either poor or
rich, buy a helmet and must wear it at any cost. The CTO Lahore said that, we
are enforcing this law and we must act upon it. So that yours and others
precious life and wealth can be protected from road accident.
Electronic Challans or E-challans are mostly utilized in the Asian countries. It
implies a receipt of payment or delivery. It refers to a specific format
utilized for depositing/dispatching the commitment/statutory payment at
bank/treasury.
E-Challan System would be that the general public will not break the signal and
if by chance people will break the traffic signal, then E-Challan will reach to
their home and they would know that what law or rule of traffic they violated.
He states that this E–Challan system would create discipline from among public.
People will not break the traffic signal and they will follow the laws or
traffic rules.
More importantly he mentioned;
“Whenever you buy a car or bike then you must get it registered on your own name
first. Similarly, when you sell your vehicles, then you must transfer it to
other person’s name otherwise you would be heavily fined via E-challans and
license would be cancelled”.