What we do on our roads

THERE was a short article on Page 5 in yesterday’s edition. It was about a 27-year-old man who died in a road accident at Waimicia in Rakiraki on Sunday morning.

The death was confirmed by police spokesman Wame Bautolu.

The accident, he said, happened at 8.30am.

“A twin cab driven by a 30-year-old with six passengers went off road,” he said.

“One of the passengers, a 27-year-old man, died at the scene.”

Five of them were under observation at Waimaro Health Centre.

As police investigations continue into the accident, we are reminded about the fact that road accidents will continue to happen because we allow them. When there is death, loved ones will feel the pain the most, yet there is also a cost factor on those involved in the recovery process and in terms of productivity at the national level.

According to the United Nations News website, road accidents are still responsible for 1.3 million annual deaths and 50 million injuries all over the world. The United Nations, however, has a global plan to halve road deaths and injuries by 2030.

The plan, it states, is a key part of the Decade of Action for Road Safety 2021-2030 and was discussed late last year, supporting the high-level meeting on Global Road Safety at the General Assembly in New York.

It stated, opening the discussion, the president of the General Assembly, Abdulla Shahid, said the needs to address this “unnecessary and tragic burden on families, communities and economies”.

He said road accidents were entirely preventable, and priority must be on implementing preventative measures.

He highlighted the importance of the Global Plan, but warned that “unless it is implemented, it is nothing more than a plan of action”.

However, he noted that implementation by national and local governments would require two main elements: financing and the engagement of relevant actors.

With a notable funding gap in most countries, he said, 90 per cent of road deaths happen in low and middle-income countries.

Achieving targets, he noted, would mean increased support to these countries.

Road traffic crashes, he said, were also the leading killer of children and young people worldwide, aged five to 29.

Right now, road accidents are set to cause a further estimated 13 million deaths and 500 million injuries during the next decade.

Today, we once again reflect on prevention.

There are road laws that govern how we use our roads. The question though is what do they mean to us, and whether we are switched on to adhere to them?

In saying that, we are reminded about the need for safety on our roads. We are reminded about preparing for journeys, and planning them well. We are reminded about staying off alcohol if we plan to drive, and using common sense when out and about.

Every year we talk about road safety, and every time an accident happens, we raise the volume. We need to engage and be proactive. We need to be vigilant! Road safety is everyone’s business.