LAHORE: The city traffic police have decided to become complainant in the cases lodged in fatal road accidents if the heirs are found reluctant in taking legal action against the violators.

According to a circular issued by the CTP on Sunday, the traffic police will be the complainant in such cases in future and that will help them round up irresponsible drivers in the provincial capital.

The decision, under an administrative order, was taken in the light of reports that said that in most of such cases the heirs of the affected people were found to be least interested in getting the cases lodged against the offenders.

In the circular, the chief traffic officer claimed that being plaintiff would help the traffic police bring the ratio of fatal accident significantly down.

He said previously the accused drivers would continue to drive on the roads despite playing havoc with the lives of the citizens and one of the major reasons of this was that the victims’ heirs mostly refused to take legal action against the offenders.

The CTO said that in case of death in any road accident where the relatives of the deceased persons refused to take legal action, the sector in charge will himself become the plaintiff.

He regretted that most of the traffic accidents went unreported, allowing offenders to escape punishment.

“All the sector in charges and DSPs have been strongly suggested that if any fatal accident occurs in their jurisdiction, they should encourage the complainants/victims to approach police for initiating criminal action”, the CTO said.

On finding the relevant sector in charge negligent, the CTP would take stern departmental action against him/her, he warned.

Published in Dawn, August 26th, 2019