Sunday Times 2
Ensuring road safety is a social responsibility
View(s):Annually, 1.25 million people die in road accidents worldwide, with another 20 to 50 million people injured. Road accidents, the ninth leading cause of death, are expected to grow to be the fifth leading cause by 2030. Ninety percent of road accidents occur in low and middle income countries. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), injuries due to road accidents are the leading cause of death in the 15-29 age group. Further, in most countries, road traffic crashes cost 3 percent of the gross domestic product.
Drivers must bear in mind that when they are on the road, the safety of the passengers in their vehicles and other road users is in their hands.
According to the WHO report published in May 2014, road accident deaths in Sri Lanka reached 2,773 or accounted for 2.19% of total deaths — on average, 7-8 deaths a day. As a result of road accidents, a significant number of people become partially or completely disabled, many children lose their parents many women their husbands, not to mention the loss of productivity hours and earnings.
Apart from the physical wellbeing of people, road accidents can also have a severe impact on their mental wellbeing, with many experiencing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or severe depression. Road accidents are a social problem, and it is the combined responsibility of the police, the motor traffic department, the public, pedestrians, drivers and cyclists to reduce the incidence and severity of these accidents.
There are many risk factors contributing towards road accidents. They include speeding, drink driving, failure to obey traffic rules, drivers’ attitudes, poor weather conditions, poor infrastructure facilities, vehicle conditions, driving without a licence, failure to wear seat belts, using mobile phones while driving, fatigue and lack of concentration.
Speeding is the key risk factor for accidents. The chance for survival is high if hit by a car when the driver is within the designated speed limit for that road or highway. It is important to display speed limit signs in public areas such as hospitals, schools and places of worship. Apart from monitoring the speed limit by police and cameras, enforcement of severe penalties is key to ensure that drivers drive within the speed limit.
Drink driving is another key risk factor for accidents. When drivers have excessive levels of alcohol in their blood, they drive faster and have impaired judgement. Random Breath Tests (RBT) should be conducted by the police to catch drivers who drink and drive.Ideally, drivers must be educated that if they consume any alcohol they need to consider alternative modes of transport for their return journey, such as public transport, taxis or requesting pickups from a friend or a family member.
Drivers and passengers must respect traffic rules. Improper turns, driving too close to other vehicles, ignoring traffic signs, using mobile phones while driving, failure to use seat belts and child restraints are some of the causes for road traffic death and injuries. Cyclists should be forced to wear helmets at all times, to reduce the likelihood and severity of head injuries (United Nations Road Safety Collaboration).
Drivers’ attitudes influence their behaviour. It is important to develop positive attitudes such as avoiding aggressive driving, observing road rules, patience and respect for other vehicles, and always prioritising safety. Drivers must remain focused at all times, and not let their mind wander or be distracted by billboards and pedestrians. It is important to be forward thinking, and be aware of and prepared for what lies ahead on the road, especially upcoming hazards or changes to traffic conditions.
Overall, drivers must bear in mind that when they are on the road, the safety of the passengers in their vehicles, and other road users is in their hands.
Enforcing social responsibility can go a long way in promoting better driver behaviour on the road. Before starting your journey, it is important to ensure your vehicle is safe for driving. This involves testing brakes, lights and tyres. During long trips, it is important to take a break every three hours, of at least fifteen minutes. When driving in bad weather, drivers should exercise greater caution or avoid travelling altogether.
When licences are issued, appropriate tests must be conducted to evaluate the driver’s knowledge (e.g. traffic rules, road signs etc.), driving skills, attitude and medical conditions. The enforcement of heavy penalties for driving and licensing offences, will ensure that mistakes are not committed or that the same mistake is not committed more than once.
There are several benefits of educating the people about road safety. The Motor Traffic department and Police must organise seminars and workshops to educate drivers, university students and school children about safety measures, such as using pedestrian crossings and obeying traffic rules. Instilling good values at a young age can go a long way in ensuring that future generations are better educated about road safety. The UN Road Safety Collaboration has declared May 8-14 as United Nations Road Safety Week. This week will focus on what can be done to address key risk factors surrounding road deaths and injuries. The week should be utilised to promote road safety awareness.
In the unfortunate circumstance that an accident occurs, it is important to understand how it happened and how it can be prevented. Based on this analysis, necessary action must be taken to ensure that this accident does not recur. This could be done by bringing changes to the traffic rules, and improving infrastructure facilities (example: constructing a roundabout, installing signal lights, traffic signs etc.). Sadly, even with our best endeavors, accidents do occur. Road safety is a social issue and it is the responsibility of all to work together to ensure that accidents are minimised.
(The writer was a senior lecturer in management at the University of Jaffna)