We Are The Problem

IN the wake of the horri?c accidents statistics, and President Pohamba’s call for action to address the situation, it might be well to be reminded about what are daily occurrences, and I list them below.

They are spoken about, but nothing is done to address the problems. Some of us are the problem and refuse to accept culpability.We have traf?c of?cers who do no policing.Roadblocks and manning speed traps seem to be the priorities.There is a general disregard for the laws of the road, and for traf?c signs e.g solid barrier lines are crossed in the face of oncoming traf?c.This is normal driving practice! The quality of drivers on our roads relative to drivers elsewhere is poor.Drivers have no training to know what to do when they ?nd themselves in problem situations.Inexperienced and young drivers behind the wheel of fast vehicles are clueless when trouble strikes.Licences to drive are too easy to obtain.Some drivers on our road are illiterate and cannot read what the causes of accidents are about in newspaper and magazines.Pictures of the carnage have no effect – they believe it will never happen to them, and they serve only as short-term reminders of the consequences.Drivers set their own rules on the road.The problems are seen as someone else’s until family members become statistics.Women are among the worst offenders.On any given day young children can be seen standing on the front seats of vehicles without being strapped in.Children are allowed to sit on the laps of parents while being driven around in busy traf?c.That shows a criminal disregard for their own.Quite what they think of others can only be imagined.People, including women drivers, take the wrong direction around traf- ?c circles as shortcuts.During quiet times after sunset, traf?c lights are not taken seriously and drivers can be seen driving through red lights, setting their own rules of the road.There are no traf?c policemen to be seen on duty after 17h00, and drivers do as they please after dark.If education is the answer, must we then assume that the driver population is a group of uneducated people let loose with dangerous machines on our roads? If HIV-AIDS fails to kill off the Namibian population then irresponsible drivers will do it for us.John Sampson WindhoekSome of us are the problem and refuse to accept culpability.We have traf?c of?cers who do no policing.Roadblocks and manning speed traps seem to be the priorities.There is a general disregard for the laws of the road, and for traf?c signs e.g solid barrier lines are crossed in the face of oncoming traf?c.This is normal driving practice! The quality of drivers on our roads relative to drivers elsewhere is poor.Drivers have no training to know what to do when they ?nd themselves in problem situations.Inexperienced and young drivers behind the wheel of fast vehicles are clueless when trouble strikes.Licences to drive are too easy to obtain.Some drivers on our road are illiterate and cannot read what the causes of accidents are about in newspaper and magazines.Pictures of the carnage have no effect – they believe it will never happen to them, and they serve only as short-term reminders of the consequences.Drivers set their own rules on the road.The problems are seen as someone else’s until family members become statistics.Women are among the worst offenders.On any given day young children can be seen standing on the front seats of vehicles without being strapped in.Children are allowed to sit on the laps of parents while being driven around in busy traf?c.That shows a criminal disregard for their own.Quite what they think of others can only be imagined.People, including women drivers, take the wrong direction around traf- ?c circles as shortcuts.During quiet times after sunset, traf?c lights are not taken seriously and drivers can be seen driving through red lights, setting their own rules of the road.There are no traf?c policemen to be seen on duty after 17h00, and drivers do as they please after dark.If education is the answer, must we then assume that the driver population is a group of uneducated people let loose with dangerous machines on our roads? If HIV-AIDS fails to kill off the Namibian population then irresponsible drivers will do it for us.John Sampson Windhoek