Daily Times

The 6th Global Road Safety Week is being observed from 17-23 may 2021 with new global plan for the decade of action for road safety 2021-2030 in accordance with UN Resolution 74/299 to improve global road safety. The new global plan as guiding document would provide an opportunity to connect the successes and lessons of previous decade to prevent at least 50% of road traffic deaths and injuries by 2030. Road safety has become the global concern due to alarming increase of road traffic crashes as the cumulative toll of road traffic injured and causalities is truly terrific. Road safety within 5 pillars of activity in global plan includes road safety management, safer roads and mobility, safer vehicles, safer road users, and post-crash response.

6th UN Global Road Safety Week focuses on streets for life, low speed streets save lives and are the heart of any community. 30 km/h (20 mph) speed limits where people and traffic mix make for streets that are healthy, green and livable, in other words, streets for life.

Each year, approximately 1.3 million people die world over and over 54% of deaths are associated with motorcyclists, cyclists, and pedestrians. It is also an interesting fact that Low Income Countries have 1% of the World’s vehicle but 13 % of all deaths. On the contrary, High Income Countries have 40% of the World’s Vehicles but 7% of all deaths. World over, every 24 seconds someone dies on the road as per World Health Organization.

The pre-hospital Emergency Care System commonly known as Rescue 1122 has been established under the Emergency Rescue Services Legislation in more than 70 percent of Pakistan to provide the right to timely emergency care to the victims of accidents, emergencies and disasters without discrimination. This is an integrated model of Emergency Management which includes Ambulance, Fire and Rescue services and trained community responders. Rescue 1122 Emergency Care System since its inception in 2004 has rescued over 9.2 million victims of emergencies including 2.8 million road traffic crashes without discrimination with average response time of seven minutes. The Motorbike Ambulance Service was also introduced in 2017 to provide timely emergency care to road crashes victims in traffic congestion. Similarly Rescue 1122 also provide manages the shifting of serious/ critical patients from primary/ secondary healthcare facilities to specialized healthcare facilities through Patient Transfer Service. In order to improve bystanders response in road crashes volunteers as community emergency response teams have been trained by Rescue Service for management of emergencies and safety promotion. Furthermore, this Rescue 1122 Emergency Care system is flexible enough to deal with multiple or mass causality incidents at any time and has been managing all the floods, earthquake, building collapse and on-going COVID 19 Pandemic. Rescue 1122 is also established Trauma Registry System for evidence based research and to provide data to the policymakers for safety promotion and prevention of emergencies.

According to statistics, Emergency Service Rescue 1122 responded to over 2.8 million road traffic crashes in Punjab since inception in 2004 and 83% road traffic crashes are associated with motorbikes. An average 970 families got traumatized daily when their solely responsible person approx. age from 21-40 years gets injured or died in the road crashes. The grief and distress experienced by the road crashes may not be measured in digits. WHO in collaboration with Emergency Service Rescue 1122 and concerned organizations reviewed the contributing factors of road traffic crashes and found that an accident occurring every 1.6 minutes and Rescue 1122 alone is managing an average 970 road traffic crashes daily in Punjab. Evidence based priority steps to improve Road Safety were recommended including Reduce the maximum Speed Limit of Motorcycle to 50 km/ hr, Dedicated Motorcycle Lane, Standardize User Friendly Helmet & Ensure Enforcement, Provision of safe economical, dignified light public transport and implementation of standardized Driver Licensing Program.

Dear Readers, we all need to promote safety in all fields especially road safety as the civilized nations are recognized by the organized traffic. Everyone should be road wise, abide by traffic rules, discourage underage driving, drive in left lane with appropriate speed limit, wear properly strapped helmets, fasten seat belts, do not use mobile during driving, maintain your vehicle and keep a safe distance from next vehicle during driving because it’s better to be late than never. We as responsible citizens must do commitment that we will play our positive role and behave responsibly to prevent road traffic deaths and injuries in Pakistan.

The writers is the Head of Community Safety & Information, Rescue 1122 Punjab