Traffic accidents near educational institutions increasing
By Ali Imran

Islamabad—The traffic accidents outside and near the educational institutions occur again and again, adding fatal outcomes on the roads, says a statement released by TheNetwork for Consumer Protection.
According to an estimate, more than 400 schools are established in almost all the residential sectors without adopting the standards and norms for the schools' site. The arrangements of the Islamabad Traffic Police (ITP) to cope with increasing traffic problems in Islamabad are inadequate. From traffic point of view the problem is aggravated considerably outside school and college compounds, especially in the morning and afternoon rush hours as people coming in to pick or drop their children often park their cars with no proper parking discipline.
Road traffic incidents are among top 10 health conditions globally. Therefore these are a challenge fro the health sector in Pakistan. Especially road safety situation around schools is alarming and a great health hazard. One of the recent tragic incidents that recalls the negligence of obligation, which claimed the life of an 11-year-old boy after suffering critical head injuries when hit by a speedy van while crossing the road in front of the gate of Islamabad Convent School in F-8/4. TheNetwork for Consumer Protection shows its heartfelt sympathies with the aggrieved family.
The statement adds that the death of the class-four student outside the school portrays the absence of road safety marks such as speed breakers to reduce the speed of the passing vehicles, road signboards to signify school ahead caution for drivers and the availability of the traffic patrol in the school zone especially in the rush hours.
Figures provided by the Association of Road Users of Pakistan, shows that the roads in Pakistan for traffic use extend to 258,000 kilometers whereas the number of vehicles driving on the roads are about 7 million which shows the dire need to an extensive road structure to cope with the traffic flow, the release adds. This influx of vehicles in country without proper driving-training program is the reason for 10,000 deaths annually in Pakistan, which claims lives of 28 innocent citizens around the country daily. Also as per the World Bank, Pakistan is declared the worst worth country for driving.
The economic cost of road crashes and injuries is estimated to be over 100 billion rupees for Pakistan. The fatal outcome and economical damage due to road crashes are the reflection of the lack of efficiency and safety of road transport system. TheNetwork urges the concerned government and corporate sectors to establish a road safety program for the school pedestrians to reduce number the traffic accidents' casualties, especially of schoolchildren, by introducing cost effective traffic calming measures, traffic police presence, special signing, specific pick and drop off areas and raised crossed walks, roadway infrastructure, drivers' training & testing vehicle inspection, etc.