Lahore launches crackdown on helmetless motorcyclists

LAHORE: Lahore Traffic Police have started a citywide campaign against motorcyclists riding without helmets, with Chief Traffic Officer Syed Abdul Rahim Shirazi saying bikers account for the largest share of road users in the city as well as the highest proportion of traffic deaths.

According to the CTO, 73 per cent of victims in fatal road crashes in Lahore are motorcyclists. He said more than 6.1 million of the 8.2 million registered vehicles in Lahore are motorcycles, making rider safety a central responsibility for the traffic police.

Mr Shirazi said the ongoing helmet enforcement drive had already led to a 40 per cent decline in head trauma cases, but added that stricter implementation was needed to bring down avoidable deaths further. He announced that major routes, including The Mall, Jail Road, Canal Road, Main Boulevard, Cantt and other busy roads, had been designated no-go areas for riders not wearing helmets.

The CTO said all SPs and DSPs had been instructed to place special enforcement teams at the city’s main entry and exit points to ensure action against violators of helmet rules. He said the measure was intended to strengthen enforcement across Lahore.

Highlighting the scale of the issue, Mr Shirazi said 97 motorcyclists had died in 143 fatal road crashes in the city so far this year, with head injuries identified as the main cause of death. He said the purpose of the stricter action was not to raise revenue but to protect lives and reduce pressure on hospital emergency departments.

He also said Lahore was among the cities with the world’s largest motorcycle populations, and urged riders to wear helmets for their own protection and the safety of their families rather than merely to avoid fines. He further appealed to road users to follow lane discipline and traffic rules, saying helmet use and compliance with traffic laws were essential for safe travel.