18 dead, 1,195 injured in Punjab road accidents

At least 18 people were killed and 1,195 others injured in 1,065 road accidents in Punjab during the last 24 hours.

As many as 495 people with serious injuries were shifted to different hospitals, while 700 with minor injuries were treated at the incident site by the rescue medical teams.

The data analysis showed that 680 drivers, 50 underage drivers, 121 pedestrians, and 412 passengers were among the victims of road crashes. The statistics showed that 207 accidents were reported in Lahore, which affected 232 people placing the provincial capital at top of the list, followed by Faisalabad with 70 accidents and 76 victims, and at third Multan with 57 accidents and 56 victims.

According to the data 930 motorbikes, 63 auto-rickshaws, 151 motorcars, 33 vans, 12 passenger buses, 29 trucks and 108 other types of vehicles and slow-moving carts were involved in the road accidents.

Eight people were killed and around 18 others injured in a tragic accident on the Lahore-Islamabad Motorway (M-2) near the Neela Dulha Interchange.

The passenger bus, travelling from Karachi to Swat, veered off the road and fell into a ditch, reportedly due to the driver's negligence. The victims include a woman and a child. 

According to rescue officials, five passengers died on the spot, while three others succumbed to their injuries at the hospital. A total of 43 passengers were onboard the ill-fated bus at the time of the accident. The injured were rushed to District Headquarters Hospital (DHQ) Chakwal for medical treatment.

Motorway Police and rescue teams quickly responded to the scene, securing the site and evacuating the injured. A crane was used to lift the damaged bus. Authorities have launched an investigation into the incident, with initial findings pointing to driver error as the primary cause of the crash.