Dozing At Wheel is a major cause of traffic accidents:Dr Shafiq

Lahore: Dozing At Wheel while driving were a major cause of tragic traffic accidents in the recent few years on national highway & motorways.  Even a brief “micro sleep” of a few seconds or less can result in to tragic and is more than enough time to cause a major accident.  There is a need for a specific analysis to categorize such habits and come up with preventive measures. 

This was said by DIG Dr Muhammed Shafiq while presided over the high level meeting and analysis of briefing campaign against dozing at wheel with CPOs at zonal office Lahore. The SSP / Sector Commander Mirza Faran Baig were also present on the occasion.  

Zonal Commander DIG Dr Muhammed Shafiq said patrolling officers have so far randomly  checked 168,05  vehicles in which 3967 numbers of drivers directed to take rest in the briefing campaign against dozing at wheel .  He further said fatigue results in slower reaction times, impairing the driver’s ability to respond quickly to emergencies. Second, sleep deprivation leads to decreased vigilance, meaning that a fatigued driver will be less alert to changing conditions or road hazards like roadwork or merging vehicles. Finally, fatigue causes a driver’s brain to process information more slowly, making a fatigued driver less able to evaluate oncoming hazards.

DIG Dr Shafiq directed the officer  brief motorists especially drivers of HTVs and PSVs to take proper rest during long journey and in case they feel drowsy, they should stay somewhere and have a cup of tea. The officers have also been directed to ensure the use of hooter and horn whenever any HTV vehicle or passenger bus passes them especially in the late hours of night.

The officers have further been asked to visit different hotels besides national highway to brief and educate the drivers staying there about the phenomenon of ‘dozing at wheel’. In order to make this campaign more successful and meaningful, Mobile Education Unit of Central Zone will also visit different Goods Transport and Passenger Bus terminals from Lahore to Rahim Yar Khan in order to brief and educate drivers about the hazards of driving while drowsy. Banners containing awareness messages will also been displayed at all the important places on national highways. 

DIG Dr Muhammed Shafiq further asked the officers of Central Zone to take personal interest in the campaign in order to make it meaningful and result oriented.