Traffic violation fines increased to reduce road accidents: NH and MP.

Byline: Tahir Niaz

ISLAMABAD -- The government, to reduce the increasing number of accidents, has revised fine rates prescribed for violations on highways and motorways, according to the officials of the National Highways and Motorways Police (NHMP).

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that in 2016, more than 27,500 people were killed, and an estimated 500,000 people were treated in hospitals/health units because of road traffic crashes in Pakistan. This is almost three times greater than the number of combined deaths in terrorism (956) and homicide (8516) for the corresponding year. Road traffic crashes are the number one cause of death among those aged 15-29 years.

The economic cost of road traffic crashes in middle-income countries is estimated to be as high as 5% of gross domestic product (GDP). Pakistan's GDP is projected to increase to $360 billion in 2020 (Ministry of Finance 2017; World Bank, 2017). If this projection is correct, based on a conservative cost of 3% of GDP, road traffic crashes could cost the Pakistan economy about USD 11 billion in 2020.

To reduce the increasing number of accidents on highways and motorways, the Government of Pakistan, upon recommendations of National Highways and Motorways Police (NHMP), has revised fine rates prescribed for violations on highways and motorways. According to the official sources of NHMP, the revised Schedule XII of National Highway Safety Ordinance (NHSO) 2000 shall take effect from 1st January, 2020. This Schedule enlists minor penalties for traffic violations on the national road network only and is not...