More must be done to end this Road carnage

Tanzanians are yet again mourning the deaths of road carnage victims. Road crashes which end lives of innocent Tanzanians are disturbingly commonplace, going by media accounts.

The latest accident, which happened on Saturday morning, claimed the lives of 33 pupils—along with two teachers— who were on a learning trip.

The young learners of Arusha’s Saint Lucky Vincent School, their teachers and bus driver, add to thousands of others whose lives have been brought to a sudden end in road crashes in the recent past. We hasten to pay our heart-felt condolences the families of those who have died. Our sympathies and prayers for quick recovery further goes to the survivors who are nursing wounds.

Road accidents that occur in this country give Tanzania the dubious distinction of being among the countries with a lion’s share of the road mishaps that account of 1.25 million deaths across the world. Police records show that more than 11,000 people were killed in Tanzania roads between 2014 and 2016.

There are questions as to why our people continue to die in road crashes that, police reports often show, could have been avoided. Speeding is certainly among the most cited reasons behind road carnage in this country.

We have public service vehicle (PSV) drivers who, without any qualm, travel at 150kmph-plus on a road with signs showing 80kmph as the legal speed limit!

A proposal has been floated in the past that nobody below the age of 40 should be trusted with a PSV. Which, we aver, makes sense, for we have just too many people behind the wheel, who shouldn’t be trusted at all with the lives of fellow Tanzanian—and most of such carefree individuals happen to be young people.

Bodaboda operators

The conduct of Tanzanians who operate motorcycle taxis popularly known as “bodaboda” gives an insight into the minds of our young who handle motorised vehicles. Wanton speeding, little respect towards fellow road users and drink driving portray them as people don’t care about their lives or that of others. Only experts in psychology can –probably—explain the murderous and suicidal tendencies of our bodaboda drivers.

Police officers are doing a great job seizing and slapping instant fines to drivers caught violating traffic regulations. Last year, Dar es Salaam Special Police Zone alone collected a whopping Sh23.7 billion from motorist in penalties for a wide range of traffic offences. However, that has not meant drivers are mending their bad ways in total, for accidents continue to happen, bringing losses in human resources, repair and replacement of vehicle and damaged road infrastructure.

Increase in punishment meted out to traffic offenders doesn’t seem to curb reckless driving. There is actually a view that harsh traffic laws only lead to benefitting corrupt police officers, for most drivers are always readier to pay a bribe than pay a fine or—needless to say—go to jail. Now the higher the provided penalty, the higher the bribe a crooked officer is likely to demand—and receive.

It is our view that road user education and well conscientised traffic officers—who will not take bribes and close their eyes as overloaded continues with the journey—will go a long way in reducing road carnage in Tanzania.