DESPITE daytime restrictions on heavy vehicles, Karachi continues to witness one horrific traffic accident after another. On Monday, a young couple — a 25-year-old man and his 19-year-old pregnant wife — were crushed to death when a speeding water tanker crashed into them on Sharea Faisal. The would-be parents were killed on the spot, with their then-delivered baby also not surviving. An investigation by the Karachi Road Accident Analysis Team revealed that the fully-loaded, high-speeding tanker mounted the central footpath and broke through onto the opposite lane where the couple were on their way for a check-up. Mechanical inspection contradicted the driver’s initial claim of brake failure; instead, fatigue and reckless driving were cited as probable causes. The driver had reportedly been working a gruelling 24-hour shift. In just 83 days this year, heavy vehicles have claimed 68 lives in Karachi — 24 from trailers, 17 from dumpers, and 14 from water tankers. Overall, 216 people have perished on our roads.

The government’s recent curbs, limiting heavy vehicle movement to nighttime hours and mandating fitness certificates have proven inadequate. The basic issue remains lax enforcement coupled with a profit-driven transport system that values delivery speed over human life. Preventing further accidents means urgent reform. The government must create an independent transportation safety authority with prosecution powers and protection from political interference. Electronic monitoring systems should be implemented for all commercial vehicles to track speed, location and driver hours. Strict mandatory rest periods between shifts, with criminal penalties for companies that impose dangerous schedules, are essential. Safety equipment must be upgraded, including under-run protection, enhanced braking systems and driver assistance technology. The city needs dedicated heavy transport corridors physically separated from other traffic, along with regular roadside inspection points with authority to immediately impound unsafe vehicles. Until we prioritise human lives over commercial convenience, Karachi’s roads will continue to be killing fields.

Published in Dawn, March 26th, 2025