LAHORES:
As a result of the Traffic Police’s failure to enforce their injunction in Lahore, motorcyclists flout the helmet requirement with impunity and when they do wear a helmet, the quality is often of inferior quality, which does not help in the event of an accident.
After several campaigns fell on deaf ears, traffic police appear to have abandoned helmet enforcement in Punjab’s most populous city. As a result, motorcyclists can be seen whizzing around Lahore without concern for their safety or worrying about a fine as the traffic police act like a silent spectator. In this context, Dr. Rizwan Naseer, director general (DG) of Rescue 1122, believes that the city’s traffic police must take immediate action against violators to reduce the number of accidents, which is currently on the rise.
“The police must conscientiously enforce the helmet requirement for motorcyclists,” suggested Dr. Naseer suggests, “The standard of helmets worn must also be checked, because if the helmet is of poor quality, it will do little to help an accident.”
The DG further suggested that police should put up maximum speed limit signs for motorcyclists and ensure that cyclists actually respect the limit. “Between 50 and 60 kilometers per hour (kmh) is a decent speed limit for a bicycle,” he said. The Express Tribune also asked the chief of the city’s traffic police, Dr. Asad Malhi, after motorcyclists who break traffic rules with impunity. “We are trying to enforce the helmet rule and have started to strictly enforce it on Mall Road, Ferozepur Road, Jail Road and Multan Road,” replied Dr. Malhi, adding that the regulation would soon be implemented across Lahore and violators would be fined heavily.
as dr Malhi pointed out that previous campaigns to implement traffic laws had failed, said Dr. Malhi that the police will now educate people in schools, universities and other areas to understand that the traffic police are concerned about their safety. Regarding substandard helmets, the Head of Traffic Police felt there was a need to enforce a unified standard for helmets through the Pakistan Standards & Quality Control Authority.
“It is true that nobody asks about the sale of inferior helmets. Only a good helmet can help bikers avoid brain injuries if they ever have an accident,” said Dr. Malhi speaking to The Express Tribune.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 26th2023
