Speakers for proper laws to ensure road safety.

ISLAMABAD -- Department of Sociology, Quaid-i-Azam University organised a seminar in collaboration with Higher Education Commission to raise awareness about the issue of road safety in Pakistan.

The initiative was taken to produce reliable data to understand the behaviour of road users and sensitise the youth on this serious matter.

The seminar was based on the research work under the HEC thematic research project of road safety in metropolitan cities of Pakistan.

Dr Zaman, principal investigator of the project at the QAU Department of Sociology, discussed overall state of road safety in the country and lacunas in legislation, with the stakeholders in the seminar.

Dr Zaman stressed and explained the current state of road safety globally and nationally.

He mentioned that 27,582 people are victim of the road safety annually as per WHO 2018 estimates. He elaborated the transport infrastructure in Pakistani society. Interestingly, only 16% of the overall vehicles in the world are found in Asia-Pacific region, whereas the share of total accidents is 44%.

He also identified several important gaps in legislation. Only two convictions were found in the history of Pakistan due to road crashes. It means no one in the country is interested to realise the importance of the state of road safety affairs, he said. He proposed to fill the gaps in current standard operating procedures which included reforming weak penalty system; devising a conviction law in case of fatalities as a result of road accidents, and formulating a child restraint law.

He further discussed that a number of legislations were not implemented adequately and were dormant in legislative system. Moreover, he stressed upon the need of the centralised public transport system as well as centralised licensing system and maintenance of standards for vehicles by the legislative bodies.

Although, the laws of fastening seatbelt and putting helmet exist but are not implemented effectively for all the occupants, he said. There is dire need of a standard public transport system in metropolitan cities of the country, he said.

He asserted that it had been argued on the state level that the road safety issue could not be catered due to lack of funds but in reality, it is more of a management issue, he said.

He highlighted the absence of smart parking which could reduce influx of traffic.

Similarly, 40% of automated signals in Pakistan are out of order. He asserted that there is a need to impose heavy...