Addressing road accidents: Why we need to focus on drivers

The recently appointed Minister for Home Affairs is reported to have recently undertaken two important steps to seek insights into the chaos on our roads, which are leading to loss of property but, more seriously, to loss of life and limb.

He travelled on the road incognito, his vehicle was stopped by the police, and his driver was found to have not broken any traffic law so he was waved to continue with his journey.

Apparently the Minister was impressed by this behaviour and congratulated the traffic police for being active.

However, he needs to undertake more of such incognito presence on the roads. He may find out that not all is well.

It was furthermore reported that the Minister summoned a meeting with top officials of his Ministry to discuss and find a solution to the escalating accidents on the road.

For sure there are many factors contributing to road accidents, including the quality of the roads, the quality of the vehicles, weather conditions, visibility, vehicle loading, behavior of other road users, unexpected events and others.

But, despite all those factors, it is the drivers who are the major cause of accidents. A good driver will take all the above conditions into his mind when on the road and adjust his driving accordingly.

Our drivers may not fit the status of being considered drivers. They are better seen as “motor vehicle operators”.

A true driver always thinks about others and will never take any action that is dangerous to his passengers or to other road users.

We may need to realise that most of our drivers have never been on the road in situations where driving and road laws and regulations are enforced and observed by all road users.

Many are self-taught motor vehicle operators, whose peers are other unruly road users.

To many of our drivers, speeding, overtaking in dangerous circumstances, not observing warning road signs and threatening other road users are all acts of heroism.

A driver who observes road regulation is considered timid and having “ruralism” (ushamba) in him or her.

Blinding other drivers with full lights and threatening them with blaring horns is seen as normal behaviour.

For me, the worst drivers are those driving long distance buses, who literally push other drivers off the road whenever they feel like.

Lorry drivers take second place particularly considering that modern-day lorries can drive very fast. Sadly, drivers of public vehicles are also among the “best” law breakers on the roads.

When you throw in daladalas, bajaj and motorcycles (bodabodas), you have a perfect recipe for chaos.

There must be steps taken to instill discipline in our drivers. Public education is important.

Peer drivers should be taken on study tours to see how road disciple is observed in the countries where this is the case. Schemes of awarding exemplary drivers may be useful.

On the other hand, before one is entrusted with driving, there must be a system of checking as to whether they are mentally stable. All drivers should be made to swear under oath that they obey driving regulations.

Committing traffic offences should be linked to other interests of the driver such as insurance, licences, employment elsewhere, holding public office and so on.

Punishments for traffic offences should be very tough. Jail sentences should replace fines; and offences that lead to deaths should be considered manslaughter outright.

Enforcement of traffic laws should be enhanced. The use of speed limits, and cameras get enforced at one time, but this is soon forgotten. Why? Even in more developed countries, traffic laws are seriously enforced and breakers of these laws face dire consequences.

Vehicle owners should be part of enforcement. They should take action against their recalcitrant drivers, or face consequences themselves.

One also gets a feeling that there is some lobby that is undermining traffic law enforcement. The removal of the restriction on night driving for passenger buses was greeted with jubilation among drivers who said they were now free to drive at any speed since traffic police and their torches would be off-road. Bribery is possibly at work.

The government is doing a good job, improving road infrastructure and repairing death spots on the roads. But, without disciplined drivers road improvements may result in higher speeds and more careless driving.

Let us not look elsewhere for witches. A disciplined force of drivers will see a tumble in road accidents.