By Dr Ansab Ali | Lahore, Pakistan

LAHORE: The Emergency Services Department (ESD) responded to 1,560 road traffic crashes (RTCs) across all 38 districts of Punjab during the last 24 hours, resulting in 20 deaths and injuries to 1,814 people, according to official statistics.

Of the injured, 864 people who sustained serious injuries were shifted to different hospitals, while 930 victims with minor injuries received treatment at the accident sites from Rescue Medical Teams, helping reduce the burden on hospitals.

The report revealed that motorbikes were involved in approximately 80 per cent of the crashes, highlighting the need for effective enforcement of traffic laws and adherence to lane discipline to reduce road accidents.

The data showed that the victims included 1,021 drivers, 80 underage drivers, 199 pedestrians and 594 passengers.

Lahore recorded the highest number of crashes, with 262 incidents affecting 305 people. Multan ranked second, reporting 114 crashes involving 132 victims, followed by Faisalabad, where 103 crashes affected 120 people.

According to the statistics, the 1,814 victims included 1,413 males and 401 females.

An age-wise breakdown showed that 417 victims were under 18 years of age, 887 were between 18 and 40 years, and 510 were above 40 years.

The vehicles involved in the reported crashes included 1,778 motorbikes, 109 auto-rickshaws, 176 motorcars, 32 vans, seven passenger buses and 35 trucks. Another 73 incidents involved other types of motor vehicles and slow-moving carts.

The figures underline the need for improved road safety awareness, responsible driving, strict enforcement of traffic regulations and special attention to underage driving to help prevent road traffic crashes across Punjab.