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Pakistan’s National Highways and Motorway Police (NHMP) say strict action against overloaded trucks has led to a dramatic decline in deadly accidents, with a 99% reduction in fatal truck crashes across the northern region over the past four months. The development marks one of the most significant road-safety improvements seen in recent years.
In an area that once recorded daily fatal incidents, officials confirm that not a single deadly truck accident has occurred from Kot Momin to Peshawar, the CPEC route from Hakla to D.I. Khan, and the Swat and Hazara motorways since the enforcement of new measures began.
A senior NHMP official told Dawn that before the crackdown,
“an average of one fatal accident involving trucks was reported every day in this region.”
He explained that overloaded trucks would often try to escape police checks, leading to high speed crashes, collisions with cars and motorcycles, and frequent overturning due to heavy loads.
Under the revised policy, the NHMP has made truck weighing mandatory on all major highways.
“No truck is allowed to enter highways or motorways without passing through the scale. This ensures no vehicle carries material beyond the prescribed limit,” the official said.
The crackdown aligns with Pakistan’s broader effort to improve road safety standards, especially on the CPEC linked routes that have heavy commercial traffic. Experts say overloading has long been a major cause of overturned trucks, brake failure, poor vehicle control, and fatal multi vehicle collisions.
Officials believe that consistent enforcement will help sustain the progress, reduce financial losses from road closures, and extend the life of Pakistan’s road infrastructure, which often deteriorates faster due to overweight vehicles.
