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Introduction:
Accidents are common in the busy city of Karachi. News paper and
television daily give us such sad news. The reason of such accidents is well
known to the Government authorities more than the public but no action is
taken by the Government to avoid or decrease such accidents.
Details:
Karachi is a densely populated metropolitan of the country. It is the
centre of trade and commerce of the country. People have poor knowledge
about traffic signals and are generally ignored. The main roads in the city are
well planned and constructed while the feeders are ignored. Most of the
roads of different sectors far from the city centre are neglected. Their
condition is poor roads inside the main city are narrow and hardly cope with
the rapidly increasing vehicular population. Paved roads are always busy
especially so during rush hours. Roads in general are used by motors cars,
trucks, motor cycles, auto rickshaws pedal cycle and pedestrians, the
influence of law and order on road users is rather lax. Any car damage can
not be repaired by garages or insurance companies (insurance on cars is
compulsory) except by written order from Traffic Engineering Department
after a full investigation of a particular case, hence the accurate recording of
accidents by this Department.
About one third of the city population is labors and relies for their
transport on public means and at times are crowded in trucks and Lorries.
Saturday, Sunday and (evening time the weakened) and Monday morning
are the busiest time of the week. Traffic Engineering Bureau determines that
human factors (faults from the drivers and pedestrians) constitute 94.4% of
all road traffic accidents. Accidents due to technical fault in the car
constitute only 2.6% those due to conservation faults in the road 0.8%, while
dart out amounts to 1.7%. In the latter case the dog and donkey are almost
always the animals responsible and the accidents occur mostly in the
evening and during mid night.
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fighting and not even think about their mistake, a mistake which can cause
life altering and permanent damages.
Note: (Majority of those people who suffered injuries and deaths are
pedestrians).
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For instance, new road building and widening projects have reduced the
width or simply removed footpaths in a number of places. In other instances,
flyovers, bridges and underpasses have created new pedestrian accessibility
and safety issues. Signal free corridors have eliminated at grade crossings
making it difficult and dangerous for people especially women and children,
to cross. Road crossings are badly designed and often not marked, meaning
vehicles rarely ever right of way to pedestrians (note: a very high number of
pedestrian casualties occur while attempting to cross roads). Footpaths do
not follow a standardized design and are for the most port decrepit, poorly
maintained, encroached upon by cars, venders, shop keepers, poles,
transformers, telephone boxes, postal boxes, signage and the like. All of this
makes for a chaotic and unpleasant walking experience for millions of
people every day.
Human costs:
People walking on city roads in developing countries are much more at
risk of injury or death then they are in developed countries. According to
one study between 86 and 172% grater risk. In Karachi road accidents kill
and injured thousands of people each year and the number are growing.
During 2008, there were 32497 injuries resulting from road accidents in
Karachi of the total number of injured, 60% were those riding on bicycles
and motorcycles and 22% were pedestrians. However, of the total fatalities
(1185) 37% were bicycle/motorcycle riders, while pedestrians were 39%.
During the first quarter of 2009 alone, over 145 pedestrians lost their
lives in road accidents. This is nearly half the number of all deaths in road
accidents for the period. The first quarter figures show a 40% increase in
death of pedestrians over the corresponding period in 2008.
Social costs:
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Beyond death and injury, an unsafe and inconvenient pedestrian
environment impedes social and economic mobility of poor people. Walking
everyday in a chaotic road environment like that of Karachi can be both
unpleasant and unsafe. Moreover, in reduces the time and energy that people
could otherwise devote to work, family and other productive activities.
Causes of Accidents:
Road accidents are common in Karachi - thousands take place every year.
While many of them are minor fender-benders, others are major mishaps,
often even leading to fatalities. The most common cause of accident in road
mishaps is human error. Determining the causes of the accident is important
for the victim, as it has a direct bearing on whether he or she is eligible to
receive compensation.
Here are some of the most common causes of accident for road crashes:
1) The use of mobile phone while driving has become very common and
drivers do not keep their attention on the road. Use of mobile phone
during driving can cause fatal accidents, and even the ringing of these
phones is very dangerous, because it can distract the driver.
2) The traffic situation in Karachi is getting worse day by day. Traffic
jams are also one of the reasons of violating traffic rules, as people in
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a hurry decide to choose illegal routes to reach their destination on
time, rather than waiting till the traffic jam clears.
3) Sometimes different kinds of protesters for some reasons block the
roads and even bridges which create problems and hazards in traffic.
This causes traffic jams and due to this situation drivers violate traffic
rules.
4) Substance abuse is a major offender when it comes to road accidents.
Both legal and illegal consumption of substances are causes of
accident. It includes consumption of alcohol, recreational and
prescription drugs to the extent that it impairs driver ability and
reflexes.
5) Speeding accounts for nearly a quarter of all automobile accidents.
Causes of accident due to speeding may be rash driving, as in the case
of joyriding youngsters, or just plain careless driving, e.g. exceeding
the speed limit in bad weather conditions.
6) The road itself could be one of the causes of accident. Many roads
have well-known 'blind spots', where drivers coming from one side
cannot see vehicles coming from the other direction until it is too late.
Also, roads become slippery during rain, snow, hail, etc. As they
wear, they develop cracks and potholes. Conditions such as these can
also be causes of accident.
7) Breakdown of the mechanical components in a car is another reason
behind road accidents. The most common mechanical failures involve
damage to the tyres and their associated components. In addition,
break, axle, and steering wheel failures are associated with accidents.
8) Some accidents are caused purely due to the driver's mistake.
Distractions, such as talking to co-passengers, calming children or
pets in the backseat, or trying to retrieve fallen items are common
causes of accident. Aggressive driving and disregarding traffic rules
also fall in this category.
9) Lack of pedestrians bridges and zebra crossing is another cause of
accidents.
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1) Most important method to bring down accidents is strict enforcement
of
Speed limits. 90% of accidents can be avoided by strict enforcement of
Speed limits.
2) Heavy penalty should be imposed on all those who cross speed limits.
If this is strictly implemented nobody will dare to go at high speed.
3) Existing speed limits should be brought down further.
4) Heavy penalty should be imposed for those who cause accidents.
5) Tamper proof speed controller should be made emendatory for all
heavy vehicles. New heavy vehicles should have built in tamper proof
speed controllers.
6) Two wheeler manufacturers should be asked to design two wheelers
with a designed maximum possible speed of (say) 50/60 km/h.
7) New gadgets are to be developed for collision preventation and should
be fitted on all vehicles. Research Organizations should be asked to
develop such gadgets on a war footing. For example,gadgets can be
developed to automatically slow down the vehicle, if safe distance
commensurate with the speed of the vehicle in front is not maintained
gadgets can be developed for warning the driver, if the driver sleeps.
8) Driving tests for issue of Driving License is to be made more strict
And foolproof.
9) Lower age limits for two and heavy wheelers license should not
below 18.
10) Helmet should be made compulsory by law OR impose lower speed
limit for those who do not use helmet. Issue of helmet should be
made mandatory with the sale of each two wheeler.
11) Helmet should be made compulsory for back seat riders also.
12) Existing traffic rules should be strictly enforced.
13) All those who do not maintain the safe distance for the speed should
be punished.
14) safety awareness should begin from childhood, as it is difficult to
impact awareness to a grown up a human. If safety awareness is
imparted at childhood, safety will be a habit.
15) Advertisement by automobile companies which include scenes of
dangerous and risky riding or driving should be banned. Younsters
are likely to imitate the same. Statutory warnings will not help such
ads will result in irreparable character formation regarding riding and
driving in kids and children. Such children may make accidents in
future.
16) Children below a certain age should not be permitted to do cycling in
busy roads and in roads where heavy vehicles are plying.
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17) The practice of keeping the traffic signals in standby mode during
Night and on holiday is to be reviewed and discontinued.
18) Ensure that the money recovered as Road Tax is fully utilized for the
construction and maintenance of roads.
19) Major accidents and accidents prone areas should be analyzed for the
scientifically.
20) Speed should be restricted at accident prone areas. More stringent
traffic rules should be enacted.
21) License of those who are involved in accidents should be
suspended immediately, at least until they prove that they are not
guilty.
22) License of those who make serious accidents should be cancelled
permanently.
23) All roads should be maintained properly permanent constructs or
arrangements should be in place for maintaining all roads in good
conditions 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
24) Eyes of old age driving license holders should be checked at regular
intervals.
25) License of drunk drivers and riders should be cancelled immediately.
26) Footpaths, pedestrian bridges and zebra crossing should be provided
at important and busy places whose a large number of people have to
cross the road at everyday.
Conclusion :
Road safety crisis needs to be fully recognized and all public agencies
as well as private section need to play their role in strengthening road safety.
Appropriate resources be allocated to improve safety which is currently for
below the magnitude of problem. Road traffic crashes are predictable and
therefore preventable. In order to combat the problem, there is a need for
close coordination and collaboration, using a holistic and integrated
approach, across many sectors and many disciplines. National Road Safety
Secretarial structure be extended up to district level to achieve road safety
objectives at grass root level.
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better and safer road travel. Establishment of NRSS as the lead agency in
road safety is commendable action by Ministry of Communications. Support
of Government of Pakistan and International donors/lenders agencies is very
vital for the success of Road Safety Program.