The Lahore Traffic Police has introduced a ban on children sitting in the driver’s seat of rickshaws as part of a broader effort to crack down on overloaded school transport. This initiative also targets overloaded school vans, rickshaws, and buses.
Chief Traffic Officer (CTO) Amara Athar issued a directive prohibiting children from riding alongside rickshaw drivers and banning the hanging of school bags or other items on the sides of rickshaws, citing safety concerns.
To enforce these rules, the traffic police claim to have deployed 251 wardens outside various educational institutions across Lahore. However, reports suggest that wardens are present at only a limited number of schools, leaving many others unchecked. As a result, several overloaded school vehicles continue to violate the new regulations.
Many citizens have raised concerns that the lack of strict enforcement by the traffic wardens is contributing to the growing number of accidents. Parents are being urged to actively identify unsafe rickshaws and school vans to assist the police in taking action.
The CTO emphasized the need for parental vigilance, saying, “The safety of our future generations cannot be left in the hands of reckless rickshaw and van drivers. Parents should take a special interest in ensuring their children’s transport is safe.”
Despite the new regulations, many citizens remain frustrated, warning that continued negligence could further increase the risk of road accidents. Parents are encouraged to closely monitor their children’s transport arrangements and not rely solely on drivers for their safety.
