Punjab Rolls Out New Road Safety Measures to Cut Highway Accidents

Punjab has approved a fresh set of road safety measures aimed at reducing traffic accidents on the province's major highways, with particular attention to junctions where smaller roads merge into main routes. Under the plan, authorities will build speed breakers on connecting roads and install signboards and other safety infrastructure at identified accident hotspots across Punjab.

Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Traffic Waqas Nazir said the traffic police and the Punjab Highway Patrol (PHP) will coordinate their efforts to improve road safety, especially during the sugarcane harvesting season. He directed district traffic officers to work with the PHP to pinpoint accident hotspots and submit detailed reports for further action.

According to Nazir, most accidents take place on roads that link to major highways in suburban areas. In Lahore, officials are concentrating on Kahna, Raiwind Road, Band Road and other outlying zones where such junctions are common.

The DIG noted that roughly 10,000 tractor trolleys and trucks carry sugarcane to sugar mills across Punjab every day during the harvesting season. These vehicles are often left parked along highways, creating hazards for passing motorists and raising the risk of collisions.

To address the visibility problem, Nazir directed officials to install reflectors on all sugarcane trolleys and at roadside parking areas. He said the traffic police and the Punjab Highway Patrol would take joint measures to protect lives and lower road accidents during the harvesting period.

The initiative reflects a broader push to strengthen road safety on Punjab's highways, where heavy seasonal traffic and poorly lit vehicles have long been a concern for commuters and transport officials alike.