RAWALPINDI: As many as 1,565 road traffic accidents were reported in the Rawalpindi district in which 42 people lost their lives and 632 were injured critically in August 2024.

Causes of the accidents recorded by the emergency services include speeding, careless driving, one-wheeling, wrong turning, and tyre bursts.

However, the lack of fitness of public service vehicles also emerged in the police investigation as a cause of many accidents including the coach accident in Kahuta in which all 26 people lost their lives.

According to Rescue 1122, a total of 1,603 people were victims of the accidents last month. A spokesman for the emergency service said all victims were timely rescued.

“In these road traffic accidents, 42 people died, 632 were seriously injured and 929 were slightly injured. Rescue service emergency staff arrived on time to all accidents maintaining the average response time,” said the spokesman.

He said most of the traffic accidents involved cars and motorcycles. The accident victims included 1,326 males and 277 females. Most of the victims were between the ages of 21 and 50 years, said the spokesman. He said Rescue 1122 was trying to reduce road traffic accidents by launching awareness programmes, and holding training sessions in schools and colleges.

Published in Dawn, September 3rd, 2024