A tragic accident in Karachi has claimed the lives of a mother and her son after a speeding water tanker collided with their motorcycle. The crash took place near Landhi Hospital Chowrangi on Monday, where the tanker reportedly rammed the bike, fatally injuring both occupants and wounding another child.The deceased have been identified as Raisa (45 years old) and her son Arman (20 years old). A second son, Hasnain (24 years old), survived with serious injuries and has been admitted to hospital. According to police reports, the tanker’s driver fled the scene immediately after the accident.In another incident elsewhere in the city, one person lost their life and another was injured in a traffic crash on the Baldia Northern Bypass. The deceased has been named Shahbaz; the injured is Daud, both taken to the Civil Hospital Trauma Center for treatment.These incidents come amid worrying traffic accident statistics in Karachi. So far this year, at least 546 people have died in road accidents during the first seven months. Over 8,000 citizens have suffered injuries in various traffic incidents. Heavy vehicles are behind many of the worst crashes: 165 fatalities are attributed to them. Among those, water tankers alone have caused 37 deaths, with other large vehicles such as trailers (62 deaths), dumpers (32 deaths), and buses (20 deaths) also playing a major role.Authorities are calling for stronger enforcement of traffic laws and better safety measures, especially for managing the movement of heavy vehicles in the city. The incident has sparked community outrage, particularly since drivers often flee such scenes, making accountability more difficult. Victims’ families demand stricter penalties to deter reckless driving.In summary, this latest accident is part of a broader pattern of preventable road tragedies in Karachi, involving heavy vehicles and motorcycles. Key issues include speeding, lack of driver accountability, unsafe road conditions, and weak enforcement. Without effective changes in regulation and policing, similar incidents are likely to continue.
