Punjab's traffic accidents expose gaps in road safety planning

Traffic accidents occurring in Punjab have once again put into question the public safety concerns and the traffic management and road planning issues.

The increasing urbanization, vehicle ownership, and lack of adequate pedestrian facilities have been blamed for the high death and injuries tolls on the roads.

It was revealed through an investigative study that although there are initiatives towards road construction and traffic control in Punjab, the province is still recording tens of thousands of traffic accidents monthly.

The experts have attributed these accidents to speeding, traffic rule violations, increasing number of motorcycles, unauthorized parking, encroachments, and lack of pedestrians facilities.

Rescue 1122 reports that there were more than 36,000 road traffic accidents in January 2026 which led to 463 deaths and more than 17,000 injuries in Punjab.

In May 2026, more than 43,000 traffic accidents occurred in Punjab leading to 434 deaths and 23,000 injuries.

Despite the absence of an official breakdown of the figures for pedestrians, women, children, and people with disabilities for the first seven months of 2026, rescuer reports and expert analysis point out that pedestrians, motorcyclists, children, and the elderly are among the most vulnerable road users.

The city of Lahore is the most traffic-heavy in the entire province due to the high population, commerce, and commuting traffic. The major roads such as Canal Road, Ferozepur Road, Multan Road, Jail Road, GT Road, and Main Boulevard continue to be the scene of frequent accidents.

The study revealed that the lack of pedestrian pathways and safe crossings continues to pose the greatest danger to the residents of the city. In commercial areas, pedestrians have to cross roads next to moving traffic, while the service roads designed for local movement are filled with vehicles.

Aamir Mahmood, who works on Main Boulevard, Gulberg, says that pedestrians are facing danger daily due to the lack of sidewalk facilities and the fast speed of vehicles. "Even the service roads are being used by cars and motorbikes frequently," Mahmood added.

Besides Lahore, the cities of Faisalabad, Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, and Multan also record high accident rates due to the growing population and traffic volume.