Two-wheel dangers

TWO young sisters recently died in a road accident. They were riding with their brother on a motorbike on a broken road in Nazimabad, Karachi. The bike lost balance when the front wheel came off as the vehicle hit a pothole. The sisters fell off and were crushed under the wheels of a passing heavy vehicle. Sadly, fatal accidents in the city are rising sharply. According to a news report, around 300 people have lost their lives in traffic accidents in the past 100 days. About 100 of these accidents involved heavy vehicles.

Even during light to moderate rains, the city’s roads turn dangerous. A video clip shows a parked car sinking in a road filled with water during the recent unseasonal rains. A female passenger was rescued by people in the area. In some areas, many motorcyclists have barely escaped drowning when their bikes fell into water-filled ditches that emerged on the main and service roads. Apparently some construction work had been going on — with no warning or safety arrangements. Gas authorities have been active in the city, digging up neighbourhoods to lay pipes and work on other infrastructure. Contractors are operating without putting in place any safety protocols. They leave the roads broken after their work is done. While the authorities claim they have paid road-cutting charges to the relevant municipal bodies, there’s no evidence of repairs following the pipe-laying.

About 70 per cent of fatal traffic accidents in Karachi involve motorcycles. This percentage appears to be rising, with young people, often teenagers, generally the victims. Motorcycles are the most common mode of transport in Karachi. Over three million motorbikes of various makes and models — including the electric variant — are believed to be plying Karachi’s streets. Most motorcyclists have had little instruction when they first start riding their bike; they possess hardly any knowledge about traffic rules. A sizable number of them ride on the wrong side of the street, suddenly change lanes without indication, and go over the speed limit. Many switch to riding on footpaths when stuck in a traffic jam. Often their taillights and headlights don’t work or are fitted with fixtures whose beams affect the vision of oncoming motorists. Many use horns whose jarring noise startles other road users. In some instances, three to four adults and as many children can be seen on one bike, while the rules permit only two people. Few riders use helmets for safety. For general safety as per international provisions, every bike user — rider or passenger — must wear a helmet.

Motorcyclists also face challenges. There are no dedicated lanes for them and no road markings to separate faster and slower vehicles. Recklessly driven cars, SUVs and heavy vehicles threaten the safety of bikers. Data shows that many such vehicles have hit motorcyclists on various roads. Designated parking spaces for safe and theft- and vandalism-free parking of motorcycles are absent. Footpaths, open public spaces, road medians, locations under bridges and flyovers and building thresholds (especially in front of commercial spaces and offices) seem to accommodate hundreds of motorcycles. But this arrangement greatly obstructs pedestrian movement. People can be found walking on very busy roads, often in the midst of fast-moving traffic, in the absence of proper footpaths.

Most fatal traffic accidents in Karachi involve motorbikes.

Motorcycles are a means of accessing employment as riders and service providers. According to one estimate, more than 70,000 food riders serve the city round the clock. And this figure doesn’t include milk and grocery delivery riders. In economically challenging times, these job opportunities constitute a precious employment option for marginally literate folks who can ride a bike. If a conducive environment is created by way of training, this workforce can be transformed into a vital component of human resource whose skills can be upscaled to enable completion of junior supervisory- and managerial-level tasks. Female riders, who presently comprise a very tiny fraction of the total workforce in this category, can be encouraged. Many young women with basic education but the ability to ride a bike can earn decent money and live and work with dignity.

The general government policy favours a motorcycle-riding culture. The pink scooty scheme is a welcome initiative that can help young women overcome commuting challenges.

Motorcycle assembly enterprises also receive a favourable policy response from provincial and federal governments. If comprehensive road repairs are undertaken, substantial improvement can be achieved, with low public investment. Traffic management, regulation and enforcement can help make motorcycles a safe means of commuting.

The writer is an academic and researcher based in Karachi.

Published in Dawn, April 21st, 2026

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