Watch those careless drivers

IT isn’t easy to shrug aside the topic of road safety. It is part of our daily lives and basically draws a lot of our time. On Friday afternoon, a young family got the shock of their lives when a speeding vehicle hit their car near a busy junction in Nasinu.

That accident was careless and a firm reminder for those who witnessed it about the real dangers of careless driving.

Their lives were affected by the fact that they now do not have their vehicle which will have to undergo repairs for a few weeks.

That means making major adjustments to their daily lives, which ropes in school, and other daily chores.

It is an inconvenience and will be a costly affair over the next few weeks! And all that should have happened to avert that was adherence to the rule of law, road courtesy and road safety.

We now call on the powers that be to be vigilant about road safety.

That should mean maybe reviewing the process of driver education, defensive driving and perhaps revisiting the accreditation of driving schools, the processes in place and systems to ensure we have good and capable drivers on our roads.

Getting a licence should be much more than just paying a fee to a driving school, undergoing a few weeks of classes, and getting a provisional licence.

Ultimately, we have a challenge to embrace road safety. Then there is the issue of common sense.

Every driver who gets behind the wheel must accept responsibility for the lives of those in their vehicle, and be considerate of other road users.

They must appreciate that life is special, and that others will also use our roads. These road users also have families, plans, and hopes and aspirations. They also have their own little challenges, and daily schedules to meet. It becomes a huge responsibility for every driver when they drive a vehicle on our roads, to be extremely careful. Be patient! Don’t try to beat the queue. Be considerate! Remember every other driver is also trying to get to their destination like you, and the traffic congestion is also frustrating them.

It is always sad when deaths happen in a road accident or when an accident leaves a family frustrated and angry because their lives were at risk.

We know that road accidents happen because we allow them.

The challenge is always to be proactive and sensitive to the demands expected of us when we travel on our roads.

That means planning journeys, and planning to arrive safely at our destinations.

It means adhering to road laws, and safety advice. That means understanding and appreciating defensive driving. It should also mean appreciating proper vehicle maintenance and the little things like resting well before a long journey, pulling over and resting if you are tired along the way.

The powers that be also have a duty to ensure our roads are well maintained and safe to use.

Then there is the need for pedestrians to be mindful of simple road rules.

Again, we raise the issue of common sense, and expect this to be part of road safety advice.

Road safety matters. It must be drilled into the heads of drivers who still shirk their responsibility and put other lives at risk!

We call on the powers that be to sit up and take notice!