LAHORE: National Highways and Motorways Police (NH&MP) is all set to launch an effective campaign for drivers of long and heavy vehicles to make them aware about safe driving in an effort to avert traffic accidents on highways. NH&MP Deputy Inspector General Mehboob Aslam said on Sunday that awareness campaign for containerized traffic would start within next 10 days to keep abreast the HTV (Heavy Transport Vehicle) license holders of the dangerous consequences of frequent lane changes, violation of lanes, overloading and over-dimensioned vehicles. To a question, he said that NH&MP always focused on safety of road users and was currently taking forward vigorously its road safety campaign to avoid road accidents, ensuring safe driving and creating awareness about advantages of safety helmets for motorcyclists. The DIG said that in 2017, out of total 92 road accidents 63 were of motorcyclists, adding that most of the casualties were of motorbikers. Keeping this factor in view, he said, the NH&MP (N-5 North) had started a phased campaign, especially for motorcyclists. Under the campaign, he said that they conducted road safety seminars, distributed pamphlets and 1,000 free of cost helmets as well as displayed road safety awareness banners at various places. He said that in the second phase which started on April 1, 2018, the NH&MP personnel launched crackdown against motorcyclists not wearing helmets, which involved confiscation of motorcycles or their documents and driving licenses, and imposition of heavy fines. To a question, he said that from April 1 to 10, 2018, the highways police imposed Rs 18.073 million fines on 88,953 motorcyclists for not using helmets. The police, he asserted, had taken into custody 4,911 motorcycles and confiscated documents of 432 motorbikes. Published in Daily Times, April 16th 2018.