Fewer Xmas accidents, but...

Today we have a story highlighting that 18 people died while 73 were injured in 147 road traffic accidents during the Christmas Holiday.

Police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Nyathi said the accidents occurred on the Christmas and Boxing Day.

Although the accidents were fewer than last year’s total of 276, 147 is still a very large number that we should strive to reduce to zero.

The fact that most – if not all – of these accidents are due to human error makes the 18 deaths and 73 three injuries even harder to bear.

According to the police, “the accidents recorded were mainly due to speeding, reversing errors, driving without due care and following another vehicle closely,” he said.

People have continued to die from accidents during the festive season and yet the warnings have been deemed boring and mundane.

Mundane too during the festive season, are bouts of drunkenness, speeding on the roads, rowdy behaviour and public fighting.

The result of all these factors is unnecessary loss of life. Unnecessary because most if not all of these deaths are avoidable.

Speeding, drinking while driving and use of unroadworthy vehicles are the three most dangerous things to do on the road and the police must not let drivers with the aforementioned crimes continue their journeys in this dangerous holiday period.

The other danger is giving young people permission to use vehicles they usually do not drive.

Most of them are unlicensed and many parents have regretted giving their children access to vehicles during the ‘exciting’ festive season. It is better to see them brood throughout the month of December than to mourn them for the rest of your lives.

This may be the time to advise youths to stay away from alcohol as they usually do things they will later regret under the influence of alcohol.

Let us be cautious this festive season in all our behaviours.

While accidents are unavoidable sometimes, it is always essential to avoid the obvious causes of accidents.

Many today are burdened with the fact that someone died because of their mistakes – which could have been avoided – and they have no way of reversing their deeds.

To avoid such regrets, such pain and such guilt, let us stay away from the bottle when we know we will go behind the wheel.

The law makers must also sit down and find ways to discourage people from making such avoidable but potentially fatal mistakes like drunken driving, speeding and the other errors above stated.

Whether in the form of heavy fines or deterrent jail sentences, there is need to educate the motoring public about the dangers of some of the things they may take for granted.

It is time something is done to reduce road carnage