The City Traffic Police Lahore (CTP) has launched a traffic awareness drive for motorists by placing 'traffic-cones' on three big thorough fares of the provincial metropolis to educate them about the ethics of line/lane, zebra crossing, safety and traffic rules.
Interestingly, the cones have been placed to mark the difference of line and lane but rarely any traffic warden is seen on the roads to guide people about their usages, advantage of observing line and lanes and what fine can be imposed in case of violation.
Initially, the city traffic police have placed these cones on Ferozepur Road, Jail Road and Mall Road and they have plan to add three more roads to their drive which include Allama Iqbal Road, Main Boulevard Gulberg and Peco Road (from Karim Market to Pindi stop). In 2016 only, 350 people lost their lives and over 50,000 people sustained injuries just because of traffic accidents.
Expressing dismay over this grave situation, Muhammad Zahid Chattha, a human rights activist, told Business Recorder that most of the people who became victim of these incidents could not recover properly.
"The traffic police personnel should impound vehicles of 'traffic violators' for certain period instead of just imposing fines on them," he suggested. He added that the drivers of public transport vehicles also contribute to traffic mess on almost daily basis. "The traffic police department has not achieved any significant success in reducing traffic incidents by delivering lectures to students of schools and colleges," said a police official seeking anonymity. "Most of the commuters, especially motorcyclists, don't obey the traffic rules and feel proud in over speeding and breaking traffic signals or law," he said.