Fatal accidents still haunt the nation

Afew days hardly pass without one hearing of one or more fatal accidents across the country. We have three reports of fatal accidents, which claimed four lives, all of which happened in a space of two days. These are just accidents that The Monitor reported on, as there could be more! The painful part is that most of those who perish in these accidents are young adults just starting out in life and children whose lives are snuffed out before they are truly lived. While it is understandable that accidents do happen hence the word itself which suggests that it is an incident that is not planned but just happens, most do happen due to negligence. The Botswana Police Service and other stakeholders have been trying to sensitise drivers on the dangers of reckless driving, driving under the influence of alcohol, and overspeeding, but all fall on deaf ears! What will it take to change untoward road behaviour to be a model and responsible citizen? Do we need to see the entire nation perish before we start taking these matters seriously? In this edition, we carry an article where a nine-year-old boy was hit by a car while trying to cross the road. This is one of many articles that we carried about children meeting their untimely demise due to road traffic accidents and in most of these accidents, overspeeding is often mentioned as the cause. In the previous edition, we had an editorial comment on road traffic accidents costing the government. It is not only the government that losses out, families also often lose breadwinners, children also lose parents and become orphans, and spouses are also often left bereft of the one to love; the list of tragedies is endless. Behavioural change is something that all of us have to commit to and take ownership of.

Every time one gets behind the wheel intoxicated, they poses a danger to all other road users. Let’s get in the habit of calling cabs when we know that we want to go out partying and commit to arriving alive instead of doing the nonsensical on the roads to show off that ‘my engine/car/’baby’ is more powerful/faster/better than yours’.

The government should also consider increasing the charge for reckless driving and drunken driving; maybe these will deter drivers from overspeeding and driving under the influence. While law enforcement can perhaps assist in trying to protect all by upholding the law, it should begin with us! We should be the difference, desist from this mentality of only feeling guilty after getting caught in the wrong and be seen to be doing the right thing. Bad decisions, reckless driving, and driving under the influence are dangerous and costly excuses that can be deadly or alter one’s life terribly. Let’s be each other’s keepers and respect the sanctity of life!