Educate Mini Bus Drivers

I AM writing this letter as a concerned Namibian. I was very shocked and touched when I read in the newspaper and saw the picture that appeared on the front page of The Namibian newspaper dated 18 May 2004, and titled “Seven die in horror crash”.

It was horrific, terrible and unbelievable for such a thing to happen. When one analyses the whole accident it is evident that the culprit was the mini bus driver.Every week we expect to read breaking and shocking news on head on collisions involving mini buses and other vehicles.Last week, before the accident that took place between Oshivelo and Ondangwa road where seven human lives were lost, there was also a fatal car crash between Otjiwarongo and Otavi., about 20km from Otavi about eighteen people died on the spot, which was also a collision between a mini bus and a sedan car,and the culprit appeared to be the bus driver.Before Easter weekend another terrible accident occured between Otjiwarongo and Okahandja (10 kms from Otjiwarongo).I think I should mention something contributing to all these scary accidents on our roads.Firstly, these cab (mini bus) drivers tend to ignore two very important things for a good driver.These are negligence and ignoring road markings.To many mini bus drivers the white lines are there for decoration.During my observations I saw that they overtake as they wish, often ignoring the oncoming traffic.To me this is a serious transgression especially for a driver carrying so many people.I have a question for Nabta, as an association responsible for these mini buses, and law enforcement agencies in the country: why do these minibuses have stickers on them indicating 100km/h.Is this the maximum speed allowed, if yes are they really adhering to this rule? If not then something needs to be done as a matter of urgency.When you look at the range in which most of these accidents are taking place it is either a few kms before the desired destination or either a few kms after a certain town, what does this mean? People tend to relax and not concentrate on their driving with the idea in mind that they have arrived.To me this is very wrong.As drivers we should concentrate as long as you are behind the wheel.My last suggestion, for the sake of our people who are dying every day because of someone’s ignorance or because of speeding there should be a rule if not a policy that will require all these minibuses to have speed meters like some of the GRN vehicles which restricts a vehicle to an allowable.The owners of these mini buses should seriously advise their drivers.CB OtjiwarongoWhen one analyses the whole accident it is evident that the culprit was the mini bus driver.Every week we expect to read breaking and shocking news on head on collisions involving mini buses and other vehicles.Last week, before the accident that took place between Oshivelo and Ondangwa road where seven human lives were lost, there was also a fatal car crash between Otjiwarongo and Otavi., about 20km from Otavi about eighteen people died on the spot, which was also a collision between a mini bus and a sedan car,and the culprit appeared to be the bus driver.Before Easter weekend another terrible accident occured between Otjiwarongo and Okahandja (10 kms from Otjiwarongo).I think I should mention something contributing to all these scary accidents on our roads.Firstly, these cab (mini bus) drivers tend to ignore two very important things for a good driver.These are negligence and ignoring road markings.To many mini bus drivers the white lines are there for decoration.During my observations I saw that they overtake as they wish, often ignoring the oncoming traffic.To me this is a serious transgression especially for a driver carrying so many people.I have a question for Nabta, as an association responsible for these mini buses, and law enforcement agencies in the country: why do these minibuses have stickers on them indicating 100km/h.Is this the maximum speed allowed, if yes are they really adhering to this rule? If not then something needs to be done as a matter of urgency.When you look at the range in which most of these accidents are taking place it is either a few kms before the desired destination or either a few kms after a certain town, what does this mean? People tend to relax and not concentrate on their driving with the idea in mind that they have arrived.To me this is very wrong.As drivers we should concentrate as long as you are behind the wheel.My last suggestion, for the sake of our people who are dying every day because of someone’s ignorance or because of speeding there should be a rule if not a policy that will require all these minibuses to have speed meters like some of the GRN vehicles which restricts a vehicle to an allowable.The owners of these mini buses should seriously advise their drivers.CB Otjiwarongo