Karachi: Heavy vehicles drivers to undergo mandatory drug tests

KARACHI: The Sindh government has decided to conduct drug tests of those driving heavy vehicles in Karachi in an effort to reduce the alarming number of road accidents in the city, ARY News reported.

This was disclosed by Sindh Transport Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon in a statement issued here. He said that several new traffic regulations to improve road safety and reduce accidents in the city have been introduced.

Sharjeel Inam Memon said that all drivers of heavy traffic are now required to undergo drug tests to ensure they are fit to drive. He said that the speed limit for heavy traffic has been reduced to 30 kilometers per hour to minimise accidents.

The transport minister said that the provincial government is tightening driving license requirements for heavy vehicles to ensure only qualified drivers are on the road.

Sharjeel Inam Memon said that authorities are strictly directed to enforce helmet use for motorcyclists to reduce head injuries and fatalities.

At least 11 dumpers and tankers were set on fire in violent protests in Karachi following a motorcyclist crushed by a heavy traffic in North Karachi in the wee hours of Thurday, the police said.

Following an accident involving a speeding dumper truck and a motorcyclist in Nagan Chowrangi area, at least 11 heavy vehicles, including trucks and dumpers, were set on fire across different areas of Karachi.

The motorcyclist injured in the Nagan Chowrangi accident was identified as 23-year-old Daniyal, who received medical treatment at a local hospital.

Earlier, in an interview with ARY News, DIG Traffic Pir Muhammad Shah stated that digital monitoring of heavy traffic would help prevent traffic accidents.

DIG Traffic Pir Muhammad Shah has mandated the installation of front and back-view cameras in dumpers to help determine fault in case of accidents.

The decision come amid increasing number of road accidents caused by heavy vehicles.

According to DIG Traffic Pir Muhammad Shah’s directives, trackers will also be installed in all dumpers operating on Karachi’s roads to monitor their movements by the traffic police from its control room.