LETTERS TO THE EDITOR


"Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail." –Ralph Waldo Emerson



Effects of bad road conditions on traffic accidents

Most car accidents are caused by drivers making bad decisions, including speeding, failing to yield, and distracted driving. However, some accidents are caused through no fault of the driver. Poor road conditions can lead to accidents injuring drivers, passengers, and pedestrians. Poor road conditions can lead to more than just a bumpy ride. Roads can deteriorate to the level where they become dangerous. This includes potholes, uneven road surfaces, broken concrete, exposed rebar, sinkholes, and road cracks. If a driver hits a large pothole, it could burst the tire causing the vehicle to veer into another lane, colliding with another vehicle. Uneven road surfaces can cause a driver to lose control of their vehicle, leading to a crash or rollover accident injuring the driver, passengers, and pedestrians. Dangerous road condition accidents can lead to serious, life-threatening injuries. Dangerous road conditions may be the result of natural events, such as tropical rains and flooding, that make driving unsafe. Dangerous conditions can also arise from the poor physical condition of a road and its surroundings. Recently, the heavy rains in Karachi caused deteriorating effects on the roads in even the most opulent areas of the city. It has been months since the heavy rains but no measures have yet been taken to improve the roads. Various government agencies are responsible for maintaining roads and ensuring they are safe for drivers, cyclists and pedestrians, including providing proper signage, lighting, pavement markings, signals and traffic control devices. The government has a duty to design, build and maintain safe roads. If an accident occurs because of a hazardous road condition, the government agency responsible for maintaining the road may be liable. But since law and order situation in the country is so poor, no government agency will take up the responsibility for their act and instead you might be held liable for an accident caused due to their neglect.

Farhat Hussain,
Karachi.

Social distancing in Pakistan

Keeping a distance from other people is unfamiliar territory for most of us, especially in a country like Pakistan where people still do not realise the severity of the situation. Markets are still bustling. People are still partying. Greeting rituals do not suffice with a handshake, people also hug at every encounter. Even transportation in Pakistan has its risks. Citizens cram into vehicles to get about. What's more; worshippers crowd in mosques and many clerics have dismissed the danger of contagion. Even though Muslim countries across the world and the Middle East have limited the number of people entering mosques at a time, many of Pakistan’s hardliners are still debating whether or not limiting congregational activities in the mosques is illicit. Communal gatherings and social settings are a lifeline for Pakistanis, and such gatherings have been the reason for the further spread of the virus in Pakistan. What we all need to understand is that limiting our contact with people will slow down virus transmission and flatten the epidemic curve so that we can reduce the number of cases occurring at the peak of the crisis. The aim is to lighten demands on the health system when we are once again witnessing a sudden surge in the coronavirus cases, so all of those needing help can get it, and we save lives. Social distancing, more appropriately called physical distancing, is not always straight forward and if you are sometimes unsure, you are not alone. In order to put the theory into practice, we need to adhere to two principles. Firstly, assume everyone we meet has coronavirus, regardless of how they look or who they are. And secondly, also assume that we have coronavirus, and could give it to other people. It’s important we all act as though we are potentially carrying the virus. Remember, distancing ourselves from others protects everybody – particularly the more vulnerable in society.

Tahira Ahmed,
Lahore.


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