PESHAWAR, June 6: About 500,000 people are killed in road crashes in Pakistan but most of the casualties could be avoided through implementation of laws and by raising drivers and road users’ awareness.

Mr Aizaz, executive director of the road safety secretariat said that young motorcyclists were not only causing human losses but also traumatising their families. He said that most of road crash victims were young people.

Parents and teachers should be involved in the awareness campaign to avoid road crashes, he said.

He was addressing a one-day seminar titled ‘Road and Traffic Safety’, organised by the Social Issues Awareness Programme (SIAP) of the National Highway Authority (NHA) here on Wednesday.

He said that better road conditions minimised casualties and were vital for rapid national development and it was the duty of all citizens to know about traffic-related laws.

He said that non-observance of traffic rules and regulation cause heavy damage to the lives and properties.

Rosemary Rouse, chief of SIAP, highlighted the significance of road safety campaigns, protection of pedestrians, motorcyclists, safety of heavy vehicles, effects of driver fatigue and speed management.

According to her, main factors causing accidents were erratic human behaviour, disregard to road rules, over-speeding, reckless driving, use of drugs to stay awake and vehicle failure.

She said that awareness regarding use of roads, strict implementation of traffic laws coupled by strict legal action could improve road safety.

She said that people avoided using pedestrian bridges while underpasses were narrow, dark and polluted because of which they had gone into disuse, adding that there was a need for building dual carriageways, improving the quality of pavements, median barriers, guarded fencing, sealed shoulders, signage, curves and drains.

Expressing concern over the authorities’ inaction regarding removal of potholes in Peshawar and Nowshera, Mukhtar Durrani criticised authorities that completion of the Peshawar-Nowshera Motorway section would improve road safety.

Mohammad Asad of the National Highway and Motorway Police said that they were trying to create awareness amongst road users. He said that 10,222 people had been challaned for traffic violations and improper driving so far.

He called for better service roads, public discussions to adopt proper engineering techniques, planning engineering designs to follow vehicle exits and inlets.

Dr Zahir Shah blamed heavy vehicles for the majority of road crashes but lack of proper road and vehicle illumination also caused accidents.