Rescue 1122 observes WDR

Islamabad: Upon directions of the Director General Punjab Emergency Service Dr. Rizwan Naseer the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic (WDR) Victims with theme Safer Roads and Mobility have been observed in all districts of Punjab in remembrance of millions of victims of road crashes, their families and communities as well as to pay tribute to the dedicated emergency responders including rescuers, police and medical professionals, who daily deal with the traumatic aftermath of road crashes.

In this regard awareness seminars, rallies and workshops have been organised to highlight the significance of safer roads and mobility which is based on pillar 2 of the Global Plan for the Decade of Action for Road Safety. The victims of road crashes have also been invited in the event to share their experiences of Road Traffic Crashes (RTC) and instant safety measures while travelling on roads.

DG Rescue Punjab said that nearly 1.3 million people are died annually and over 50 million disabled due to the road traffic accidents and 90% of these deaths occur in developing countries like Pakistan. While quoting the statistics of road traffic crashes in Punjab, he said that service has rescued over 2.3 million victims of road traffic crashes across the province so far, whereas Rescue Service alone is managing around 900 road crashes on daily basis and most of breadwinners of society are being affected in these crashes.

DG Rescue Punjab said that road traffic crashes had been observed as leading cause of injuries since the inception of Emergency Service in 2004. Out of 2.3 million injured due to RTCs, 242,404 had head injuries, 41,948 had spinal injuries, 217,834 had multiple fractures, 353,622 had single fractures, whereas fortunately 1,477,973 (63%) were minor injured. DG Rescue Punjab further observed that males were the vulnerable road users as 79 per cent of the victims were males and 21 per cent females were affected in road traffic crashes whereas 25,603 died at site of accidents in Punjab.

The analysis of data further revealed over speeding was the leading cause of accidents (40%), followed by careless driving (33%), wrong turns (8%) and others cases 12%. Whereas 1,577 cases of one wheeling were reported. Moreover, motorbikes were found to be involved in 60%, cars in 3%, rickshaws in 4%, pedestrians in 14%, buses, trucks and vans in 16%.

Dr. Rizwan further highlighted if some concrete steps are not taken at this stage on priority basis for safer roads and mobility then within next few years, every family would have been affected by road traffic accidents in Punjab. He said that now enforcement agencies need to come forward for implementation of road safety laws and concerned authorities needs to take immediate measures with regard to driving licensing system, traffic engineering, vehicles fitness system, vehicle registration, database and management system.