GROWING NUMBER OF ROAD ACCIDENTS
(TEHREEM SIDDIQUI, KARACHI)
Due to road accidents across
the country, especially in Karachi. Our country has a serious road accident
problem wherein the fatality rate appears to be higher than in many other
developing countries, i.e. fourth highest among 29 countries.
This show that moving on roads has become hazardous to an extent that road
accidents claim more lives or limbs every year than any other natural or
unnatural cause. One estimate confirms that the reported deaths on road in
Pakistan are estimated to be above 50,000 a year. The vague and outdated
legislation, non-compliance on the part of drivers and owner of vehicles and
poor monitoring by the authorities concerned to look and check on the incursion
of heavy vehicles, particularly heavy trailers, buses and tankers, are causes of
deaths on roads.
Moreover, a few other issues which need to be seriously taken care on include
putting an immediate ban on heavy and long trailers at least in areas where
there are single and already devastated roads, like desert parts of the country.