Cautious Optimism On Reduced Death Toll On National Roads

ACCORDING to the Motor Vehicle Accident Fund, statistics for the period November 28 2010 to January 6 2011 indicate what they call a ‘small but significant reduction in road fatalities’.

They have warned, however, that this weekend will see significant levels of traffic on the country’s national roads as the bulk of holidaymakers return home. Given wet conditions on a majority of roads, they have urged those coming back to drive with responsibility and caution to avoid more deaths on the roads.This year also saw a huge increase in traffic fines related to various offences, including speeding and disobeying road rules, but it is difficult to assess the impact they may have had on the slightly reduced death toll over this busy period.Even though the reported 57 deaths thus far over the period mentioned may be slightly less than it has been in prior years, it is still a significant loss of life, given that a majority of these accidents are due to human error. We can and should do more in our efforts to eliminate all senseless loss of lives on our national roads and in our urban areas.What appears to have been an increased presence of traffic and law enforcement patrols on our roads over this period has possibly had a positive effect on drivers who would otherwise have been less careful. There is little doubt that the increased presence, along with higher fines, will have a deterrent effect on hooligan drivers.There has also been praise meted out, in general, to law enforcement officials manning roadblocks over the period under review. In most cases the officials have been courteous in their dealings with the driving public and they have been commended for their vigilance. This is something that should not only be maintained over holiday periods, but should be strengthened as a matter of course for it does make drivers of unroadworthy or overloaded vehicles in particular, conscious of the fact that they can be checked and their vehicles impounded before they pose risks to others on our national highways.One area that can be significantly improved is the media liaison on the part of both traffic and police and law enforcement agencies in general. If the public are continually informed of the numbers of drunk drivers intercepted; or the fines imposed on those guilty of speeding or non-observance of road rules, among others, then this would act as a further deterrent to make people aware that these agencies are on their toes and indeed, on a permanent mission to make our roads safer for all.This newspaper has long been concerned about the generally high death toll on our roads, and has, amongst others, urged the Government to consider making it compulsory for vehicles to drive with their lights on to improve visibility for oncoming drivers. However, this has not been taken up by the authorities even though it has been proved, in some countries, to make a huge difference when it comes to road accidents.As far as we are aware, there is a short stretch outside Swakopmund where lights are recommended because of foggy conditions, but apart from this advice, there is no compulsion for drivers to ‘switch on’.Many of our accidents are due to head-on collisions, and this surely is due in most part to lack of visibility, and of course, pure carelessness on the part of reckless overtaking drivers. We remain convinced that such a rule would be of added benefit to the campaign to drive down our road death toll.However, we take this opportunity to commend those who have been out and keeping our roads as safe as possible over the holiday period, and would join the MVA call for those returning home this weekend to drive with great care and circumspection to ensure that it is a fatality-free weekend for all our motoring public.