Traffic accidents increased in Punjab in 2012: DG Rescue Dr. Rizwan

Lahore: The Punjab Emergency Service, Director General Rescue 1122 Dr. Rizwan Naseer reviewed the data pertaining to road traffic crashes of 2012, their causes and type of vehicles involved in such accidents and showed great concern about increasing number of road traffic crashes and involvement of young age groups in these crashes during the year.

The Director General Dr. Rizwan Naseer emphasized the role of all road safety advocates to address this serious public health issue and also stressed upon the responsibility of parents to ensure safety of their children. He further said that by following traffic safety rules and wearing of protective equipment (helmet, seat belt etc) we can prevent majority of road crashes and turn it or reduce the morbidity and mortality associated with these collisions.

The Director General analysed in detail the research conducted on road traffic accidents in all districts of Punjab to highlight the main reasons of accidents and to adopt preventive measures to minimize the number of emergencies in future related traffic accidents. It has been observed that the Rescue Service has responded to over 160280 emergency calls of road traffic accidents and rescued around 81717 people from disability with professional rescue response and safe transportation to hospitals, whereas 144270 accidents calls were reported in 2011 with increase of 14281 accidents in one year. Similarly, 2190 people succumbed to injuries and 102984 people suffered critical wounds during these accidents and were shifted to base hospitals for their medical treatment. The statistics collected by Rescue 1122 show that 97745 accidents of motorbikes were recorded during this span of time, and 11 to 20 years age group people were affected and got multiple injuries in these accidents.

The emergency calls to which Rescue 1122 Lahore responded during 2012 were 81995 road traffic accidents and saved 78144 victims. The main cause of accidents in the District Lahore was observed over speeding by 11-20 years of age youngsters, who sustained multiple injuries from these accidents specially from bike driving. The data revealed that Rescue 1122 Lahore responded to several nature of incidents, which include 37044 road traffic crashes, 39165 medical cases, 2118 fires, 3230 crime incidents, 79 drowning cases, 122 building collapse, 20 explosions, and 217 special rescue operations.