PUNJAB ROAD SAFETY AUTHORITY ACT 2023

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THE PUNJAB ROAD SAFETY AUTHORITY ACT 2023 
(XIII of 2023) 
CONTENTS 
1. Short title, extent and commencement 
2. Definitions 
3. Authority 
4. Composition of the Authority 
5. Qualification of members 
6. Functions of the Authority 
7. Agencies 
8. Drivers Training and Safety Agency 
9. Vehicle Safety Agency 
10. Road Design Safety Agency 
11. Post-crash Investigation and Research Agency 
12. Laboratories  
13. Director General 
14. Appointments 
15. Appointment by transfer 
16. Power to enter 
17. Appeals 
18. Public servants 
19. Recall of vehicles 
20. Offences 
21. Delegation of powers 
22. Authentication of instruments of Authority 
22-A. Fund of the Authority 
22-B. Budget and accounts 
22-C. Audit 
23. Annual report 
24. Indemnity 
25. Act to be in addition to the Ordinance 
26. Public information 
27. Regulations 
28. Power to make rules 
29. Repeal 
30. Protection of rules made under the Ordinance 
SCHEDULE 
  
TEXT 
1
THE PUNJAB ROAD SAFETY AUTHORITY ACT 2023 
(XIII of 2023) 
[17 February 2023] 
An 
Act 
to provide for road safety in the Punjab. 
It is necessary to establish the Punjab Road Safety Authority to ensure safe road design, safe 
vehicles, trained drivers, and post-accident management by adopting best international 
practices. 
Be it enacted by Provincial Assembly of the Punjab as follows: 
1. Short title, extent and commencement.– (1) This Act may be cited as the Punjab Road 
Safety Authority Act 2023. 
(2) This Act shall extend to whole of the Punjab. 
(3) This Act shall come into force at once. 
2. Definitions.– In this Act: 
(a) “Agency” means an Agency notified under this Act; 
(b) “Authority” means the Punjab Road Safety Authority established under this Act; 
(c) “device” means a road traffic control device used to protect road users from the 
risk of injury or death and includes signs, signals, road markings, safety 
barriers, gantries etc. to inform, guide and control traffic including pedestrians, 
motor vehicles, bicyclists; 
(d) “driver” means a driver as defined in the Ordinance; 
(e)  “driving license” means the document issued by the competent authority 
authorizing the person specified therein to drive a motor vehicle of any specified 
class or description; 
(f) “Government” means Government of the Punjab; 
(g) “manufacturer” includes an assembler, fabricator or body builder of vehicles; 
(h) “member” means a member of the Authority;  
(i) “motor vehicle” means the motor vehicle as defined in the Ordinance;  
(j) “Ordinance” means the Provincial Motor Vehicles Ordinance, 1965 (XIX of 
1965);  
(k) “person” includes an individual, company, firm, institution, Government agency, 
co-operative society, society, trust or association of individuals whether 
incorporated or not; 
(l) “prescribed” means prescribed by the rules made under this Act; 
(m) “regulations” means the regulations framed under this Act; 
(n) “road” includes expressways, highways, motorways, public roads, cart-ways 
which are designed or intended for, or used by the general public for the 
passage of vehicles; 
                                                           
1This Act was passed by Provincial Assembly of the Punjab on 09 January 2023; and was assented to by Governor of the Punjab on 23 
January 2023; and was published in the Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary), dated: 17 February 2023, pp.3891-3896. 
(o) “road safety” means safety of vehicles, roads, road users, and includes 
measures such as road signs and systems; 
(p) “rules” means the rules made under this Act;  
(q) “specified” means specified by the regulations framed under this Act; 
(r) “specialized vehicle” means a vehicle which the Government may, from time to 
time, notify as such in the official Gazette;  
(s) “vehicle” includes a motor vehicle, non-motorized vehicle and specialized 
vehicle; and 
(t) “vehicular attachment” means an item not required for the normal or basic use 
of the vehicle but attached to a vehicle for a specific purpose. 
3. Authority.– (1) The Government shall, by notification in the official Gazette, establish 
an Authority to be known as the Punjab Road Safety Authority for carrying out the purposes 
of this Act. 
(2) The Authority shall be a body corporate, having perpetual succession and a 
common seal, with power to enter into contracts, acquire or dispose of property, and may, by 
the said name, sue or be sued. 
4. Composition of the Authority.– (1) The Authority shall consist of the following: 
(a)  Minister for Transport of the Government; Chairperson 
(b)  Secretary to the Government, Transport 
Department; 
Vice Chairperson 
(c)  Secretary to the Government, 
Communication and Works Department;  
member 
 
(d)  Secretary to the Government, Excise, 
Taxation and Narcotics Control Department; 
member 
(e)  Secretary to the Government, Environment 
Protection Department; 
member 
(f)  Secretary to the Government, Industries, 
Commerce, Investment and Skills 
Development Department; 
member 
(g)  Additional Inspector General, Traffic Police; member 
(h)  Secretary Provincial Transport Authority; member 
(i)  Director General of the Authority member/secretary 
(j)  one member of Provincial Assembly of the 
Punjab to be nominated by the Chief 
Minister; 
member 
(k)  three persons representing academic 
disciplines related to transport safety or 
management; 
members 
(l)  one person representing the motor transport 
industry;  
member 
(m)  one person having experience of transport 
management; and   
member 
(n)  any other member co-opted by the Authority. member 
(2) The Government shall nominate the members mentioned at clauses (k), (l) and 
(m) of subsection (1) for a term of three years. 
(3) A member, other than ex-officio member, shall not be nominated as a member 
of the Authority for more than two consecutive terms. 
(4) An ex-officio member may be represented by an officer not below the rank of 
Additional Secretary of the concerned department, or Deputy Inspector General of Police, as 
the case may be. 
(5) No act or proceedings of the Authority shall be invalid merely by reason of any 
vacancy in the constitution of the Authority. 
(6) Seven members of the Authority including at least one member from the 
academia shall constitute the quorum for a meeting of the Authority. 
(7) The Authority shall meet at least once in four months. 
(8) The Chairperson and, in his absence, the Vice Chairperson shall preside over 
meetings of the Authority. 
5. Qualification of members.– A person shall not be nominated as member or shall not 
continue to be a member who: 
(a) is or, at any time, has been convicted of an offence involving moral turpitude; or 
(b) has a financial interest in any scheme or a conflicting interest, directly or 
indirectly, between his interests as a member and his private interests, and has 
failed to disclose such interest in writing to the Government. 
6. Functions of the Authority.– Subject to the provisions of this Act, the Authority shall 
perform the following functions: 
(a) advise the Government on all matters relating to road safety; 
(b) regulate drivers training, safety and licensing;  
(c) regulate vehicle safety and manufacturing standards; 
(d) specify standards and criteria for grant of driving licenses; 
(e) regulate safety standards in designing roads; 
(f) collect, compile, maintain, develop and analyze road safety data; 
(g) initiate and monitor road safety audits and inspections; 
(h) undertake research and development relating to road safety;  
(i) constitute committees for purposes of this Act; 
(j) mutual cooperation with agencies and institutes involved in road and vehicle safety; 
 2[(jj) approve its budget;] 
(k) develop and implement public awareness and education campaigns regarding road 
safety; and 
(l) any other function relating to road safety. 
7. Agencies.– (1) The Authority shall have the following Agencies: 
(a) Drivers Training and Safety Agency; 
                                                           
2Inserted by the Punjab Road Safety Authority (Amendment) Act 2025 (LIX of 2025) , published in the Punjab Gazette  (Extraordinary),  
dated : 01 July 2025,pp 01-03.s.2. 
 
 
(b) Vehicle Safety Agency; 
(c) Road Design Safety Agency; and  
(d) Post-crash Investigation and Research Agency. 
(2) Each Agency shall have such composition as the Government may by 
notification in the official Gazette determine. 
8. Drivers Training and Safety Agency.– (1) An officer authorized to conduct a driving 
test or to issue a driving license under the Ordinance shall ensure compliance with 
standards, curriculum and other requirements set by the Authority for testing and grant of 
driving licenses. 
(2) The Agency shall specify requirements for drivers training schools and driving 
instructors and every drivers training school shall comply with the requirements specified by 
the Agency. 
(3) Subject to subsection (2), the Agency shall grant accreditation to drivers 
training schools. 
(4) The Agency may inspect and/or audit the procedures for testing and grant of 
driving licenses to check compliance with standards and requirements specified by it under 
subsection (1). 
(5) The Agency may inspect and/or audit drivers training schools to check 
compliance with requirements specified by it under subsection (2). 
(6) Where the Authority finds that the provisions of this section are not being 
complied with, it shall place the matter before the Government for appropriate decision as to 
time period within which the provisions of this section are to be complied with and for the 
decision regarding the continued operation or otherwise till such time. 
9. Vehicle Safety Agency.– (1) The Agency shall specify manufacturing standards for 
vehicles, vehicular attachments, trolleys, trailers, including body building, fabrication to be 
fixed on vehicles and requirements for modification or alteration of vehicles. 
(2) Every manufacturer shall provide a certificate to the Agency that the vehicle, 
body, trailer, trolley or vehicular attachment in question complies with the standards and 
requirements set by the Agency, and such certificate shall indicate the checks made to 
ensure compliance and the laboratory where these checks were made.  
(3) Notwithstanding anything contained in subsection (2), the Agency may require 
a manufacturer to make available one or more samples of a vehicle, trailer, trolley or 
vehicular attachment for inspection and compliance of checks, and when so required, the 
manufacturer shall make available the sample or samples selected by an officer authorized 
by the Agency.  
(4) No vehicle shall be registered or continued to be registered by any authority 
empowered to register vehicles unless it complies with the standards and requirement set by 
the Agency.  
(5) No person shall ply a vehicle not registered in the province, which does not 
comply with the standards and requirements specified by the Agency with regard to that 
vehicle. 
10. Road Design Safety Agency.– (1) Every department, agency or authority of the 
Government responsible for an existing road shall submit its design and alignment to the 
Agency for road safety audit. 
(2) Any person, authority, agency or department involved in the planning, design 
and construction of roads shall obtain a road design safety certificate from the Agency prior 
to approval of the scheme and a design approved by the Agency shall not be altered without 
its prior permission. 
(3) The Agency shall check the design and either issue a design safety certificate 
or directions to alter the design to bring it in conformity with safety requirements 
(4) Where a direction is issued to alter/modify the design, the road management 
agency or the agency, department or authority responsible for the road shall take measure to 
bring the road in compliance with the safety requirements.  
(5) The Agency shall classify the roads with regard to functionality, design and/or 
operability. 
(6) The Agency shall specify:  
(a) design and operating speed limits of various categories of roads; 
(b) usage of roads from safety perspective; and  
(c) loads and volume limits of various categories of road. 
(7) All road traffic control devices shall comply with the specifications approved by 
the Agency. 
(8) The Agency shall set standards for road furniture, bus shelters, walkways 
and/or pedestrian crossings and every Government or land management agency shall 
comply with the standards. 
11. Post-crash Investigation and Research Agency.– (1) The Agency may investigate 
or cause an investigation to be undertaken to determine whether an accident was caused by 
the condition of the vehicle or the condition and/or design of the road or both, when so 
requested by the police or the Government.  
(2) The Agency shall provide its findings to the police or the Government, as the 
case may be.  
(3) The police shall maintain and provide a record of accidents in the manner 
specified by the Authority. 
12. Laboratories.– (1) The Authority shall establish one or more vehicle testing 
laboratories as part of the Vehicle Safety Agency, which shall be equipped with the latest 
testing facilities and equipment. 
(2) The laboratory shall be required to obtain relevant international certification.  
13. Director General.– (1) The Government shall appoint the Director General of the 
Authority. 
(2) The Director General shall be the Chief Executive Officer of the Authority. 
(3) The Director General shall have such qualifications and requirements as may 
be prescribed and until so prescribed as may be determined by the Government. 
(4) The Director General shall receive such salary and allowances, and shall 
perform such functions as may be prescribed and until so prescribed as may be determined 
by the Government. 
3[14. Appointments.– Authority may appoint such employees, experts, or consultants and other 
staff in such manner and on such terms and conditions as may be specified, and until so specified, as 
may be determined by the authority.] 
                                                           
3Substituted by the Punjab Road Safety Authority (Amendment) Act 2025  (LIX of 2025) published in the Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary), 
dated : 01 July 2025,pp 01-03.s.3 
15. Appointment by transfer.– (1) The Government may, on its own or on the request of 
the Authority, transfer the services of an employee to the Authority on the terms and 
conditions which shall not be less favorable than those admissible to him immediately before 
his transfer to the Authority. 
(2) An employee transferred under subsection (1) shall continue to be an employee 
of the Government. 
16. Power to enter.– An officer authorized by the Authority may, whenever it is necessary 
for purposes of this Act and at all reasonable times, may: 
(a) enter into a premises; 
(b) conduct surveys, audits and investigations; 
(c) associate and examine persons for finding of facts; 
(d) inspect records, vehicles, bus/wagon and other related stations, workshops 
etc.; 
(e) mark such boundaries and lines by placing marks etc. to preserve accident 
scene; and 
(f) do such other acts or things as may be prescribed. 
17. Appeals.– Any person aggrieved by an order passed under this Act, rules or 
regulations, may, within thirty days from the date of receipt of the order, prefer an appeal to 
such authority or officer as the Government may, by notification, specify. 
18. Public servants.– The Chairperson, members of the Authority, employees, experts and 
consultants of the Authority shall, when acting or purporting to act in pursuance of any of the 
provisions of this Act, be deemed to be public servants within the meaning of section 21 of the 
Pakistan Penal Code, 1860 (XLV of 1860). 
19. Recall of vehicles.– (1) Where the Authority finds that a vehicle suffers from a 
manufacturing or design defect at any point in time, which makes the vehicle unsafe, the 
Authority, may direct to recall, modify or update such vehicle to make it safe.  
(2) Where any person including the manufacturer fails to recall, modify or update a 
vehicle under subsection (1), the Authority may direct the registering authority to de-register 
the vehicle, and the registering authority shall proceed to de-register such vehicle within such 
period of time as may be specified by the Authority. 
20. Offences.– A person who plies a vehicle in violation of section 9 shall be guilty of an 
offence punishable with fine, which may extend to rupees five thousand and/or confiscation 
of the vehicle in question. 
21. Delegation of powers.– The Authority may, with or without conditions, delegate to the 
Director General, a committee, a member, an employee of the Authority any of its functions 
except the following functions: 
(a) to frame rules and regulations; 
(b) to appoint a committee or sub-committee of the Authority; 
(c) to approve policies and guidelines of the Authority; 
(d) to approve annual report 
4
[and budget] of the Authority; and 
(e) to consider audit report of the Authority. 
                                                           
4Inserted by the Punjab Road Safety Authority (Amendment) Act 2025  (LIX of 2025 ), published in the Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary),   
dated : 01 July 2025,pp 01-03.s.4. 
22. Authentication of instruments of Authority.– All orders, decisions and other 
instruments of the Authority shall be authenticated by the signature of the Director General or 
any other employee of the Authority authorized by the Authority. 
5
[22-A. Fund of the Authority .- (1) There shall be a Fund to be known as the Punjab 
Road Safety Authority Fund  which shall vest in the Authority and be utilized by the 
Authority to perform its functions and meet its expenses including payment of salaries and 
other remuneration to its of ficers, employees, experts, advisers and consultants in such 
manner as may be prescribed by the regulations. 
(2)  The Fund shall consist of: 
(a) funds provided by the Government; 
(b) loans and grants by the Government or the Federal Government; 
(c) all moneys received  from the Federal Government, Government and their 
bodies, local government, or any national or international agency by way of 
grants, loans, advances or otherwise, with the sanction of and on such terms 
and conditions as may be approved by the Government;  
(d) all moneys received by the Authority from the disposal of its lands, buildings 
and other moveable and immovable properties; and 
(e) all other sums received by the Authority.  
  (3) The Authority may raise funds through is suance of Government securities 
with the approval of the Government.  
  (4) The Authority shall open and maintain its accounts in such scheduled banks 
as may be prescribed in the regulations and until so prescribed as the Authority may 
determine. 
22-B. Budget and accounts .- (1) The Direc tor General shall prepare the budget of the 
Authority for each financial year and present it to the Authority for its approval in such 
manner and at such time as may be determined by the Authority.  
 (2) The Authority shall maintain proper accounts and other records relating to its 
financial affairs including its income, expenditure, assets and liabilities in such form and 
manner as may be prescribed through regulations.  
 (3) After conclusion of a financial year, the Authority shall, in the manner as may   
be prescribed, cause to be prepared for financial year, its statement of account which shall 
include a balance sheet and an account of income and expenditure. 
 (4) No expenditure for which provision has not been made in the approved 
budget shall be incurred without prior approval of the Authority. 
  (5) The Authority may delegate its powers to Director General to administer and 
incur expenditure in matter of general or urgent nature subject to such conditions as the 
Authority may determine. 
22-C. Audit.- (1) The audit shall be conducted by the Auditor General of Pakistan. 
  (2) In addition to the audit under sub -section (1), the Authority shall appoint or 
hire services of a chartered accountant or a firm of chartered accountants for the purpose 
of annual audit of its accounts. 
 (3) The Director General shall, within six months of the close of a financial year, 
submit the annual statement of accounts along with the report of the auditor to the 
Authority.] 
                                                           
5Inserted by the Punjab Road Safety Authority (Amendment) Act 2025 (LIX of 2025), published in the Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary), 
dated : 01 July 2025,pp 01-03.s.5. 
23. Annual report.– (1) The Authority shall, within three months of the close of a financial year, 
submit to the Government an annual report. 
(2) The report shall consist of: 
(a) the statement of accounts and audit reports of the Authority; 
(b) a comprehensive statement of the work and activities of the Authority during 
the preceding financial year and its proposed projects and schemes; and 
(c) such other matters as may be prescribed or as the Authority may consider 
appropriate. 
(3) The Government shall, within three months of the receipt of the annual report 
from the Authority, cause it to be laid in Provincial Assembly of the Punjab. 
24. Indemnity.– No suit, prosecution or other legal proceedings shall lie against the 
Authority, an Agency, a member, officer, consultant and other employee of the Authority, in 
respect of anything caused or done or intended to be caused or done in good faith under this 
Act. 
25. Act to be in addition to the Ordinance.– The provisions of this Act shall be enforced 
in addition to the provisions of the Ordinance, unless they are inconsistent with the same and 
in that case the provisions of this Act shall have overriding effect. 
26. Public information.– The Authority shall maintain a website which shall contain 
updated information about the following: 
(a) vehicles classification and specifications; 
(b) road classifications and their characteristics; 
(c) vehicles subject to recall, modifications or updation; 
(d) roads or sections of roads which have not been granted safety certificates; 
(e) list of accredited driving schools; 
(f) annual reports; 
(g) driver’s testing requirements; and 
(h) data about accidents.  
27. Regulations.– (1) Subject to this Act and the rules, the Authority may frame 
regulations for giving effect to the provisions of this Act. 
(2) Notwithstanding anything contained in subsection (1), the Authority shall make 
regulations within six months of the commencement of this Act for: 
(a) classification of vehicles and the requirements thereof; 
(b) manner and procedure of testing of drivers; 
(c) establishment of driver training schools; and 
(d) conduct of road safety inspection and audit. 
28. Power to make rules.– The Government may, by notification in the official Gazette, 
make rules for carrying out the purposes of this Act. 
29. Repeal.– On commencement of this Act, the provisions of the Ordinance listed in the 
Schedule appended to this Act shall stand repealed/amended to the extent mentioned 
therein. 
30. Protection of rules made under the Ordinance.– The rules made under the 
Ordinance pertaining to vehicle standards and safety shall remain in force until the Authority 
specifies the standards under section 9 of this Act. 
 
SCHEDULE 
(see section 29) 
Section Law  Amendment/ Repeal 
section 33 Provincial Motor 
Vehicles Ordinance, 
1965 (XIX of 1965) 
In section 33, in subsection (1): 
(a) after the words “that authority”, the 
words “along with certificate of compliance 
of standards pertaining to alteration of 
vehicles under the Punjab Road Safety 
Authority Act 2023” shall be inserted; and  
(b) proviso to subsection (1) shall be 
omitted.  
section 95 Provincial Motor 
Vehicles Ordinance, 
1965 (XIX of 1965) 
In section 95, after the words “Government” 
the expression “or the Authority established 
under the Punjab Road Safety Authority Act 
2023” shall be inserted. 
________