We Must Stop The Carnage

IT will take a combined effort for us to stop the carnage on Namibian roads.

At least two horrific accidents already at the start of the festive season highlight the urgency of a serious road-safety campaign in Namibia and compliance from people across the board in order to curb fatalities. Yesterday an estimated 17 people were killed in a collision between an NDF vehicle and a minibus on the Grootfontein-Rundu road; and just prior to this, another accident on the Swakopmund-Walvis Bay road claimed another four lives.The death toll on our roads is sure to mount further unless urgent remedial action is taken and drivers exercise caution, good sense and restraint.One of the main causes of accidents remains, of course, alcohol abuse.A pre-Christmas ‘Think’ campaign in the UK emphasises, for example, ‘drink driving’ rather than ‘drunk driving’.The campaign focuses on the risks and consequences of drink driving, pertinently pointing out that ‘you can’t calculate your intake’.While on the roads this December, we should all think road safety and bear in mind key messages.By drink driving and non-observance of other road rules, we not only break the law, but also risk our own and the lives of others.Drink driving, among others, results in slow reactions, poor judgement, impaired vision and risk-taking on the part of those behind the wheel.Everything that can be done should be done to prevent people under the influence of alcohol from driving a vehicle.Among others, traffic and law enforcement officials on patrol or at roadblocks should pull such people off the roads immediately; members of the public should be vigilant and report to the authorities where necessary, those who break the law in this regard; owners of pubs and shebeens should themselves deter those under the influence from leaving their establishments and heading to their vehicles, and report them if they cannot be stopped.These are just some of the things that can be done to prevent further senseless carnage.There are, of course, other key safety rules and regulations which we would urge Namibians to obey.They include fastening seat belts; avoiding high-speed driving; driving with lights on to improve visibility for oncoming traffic; prevent tiredness during driving by taking breaks when necessary; watching out for animals on the roads; desist from using mobile phones while driving and switch them off completely to avoid the distraction when they ring; obey traffic signs and road markings, exercise caution when overtaking, do not overtake on blind rises or when visibility is problematic, and be particularly cautious when approaching blind rises; and lastly, avoid night driving unless absolutely necessary.Most road accidents could have been prevented.Most are a result of human error.If all Namibian drivers over this holiday season exercise responsibility at all times, suffering, injury and death as a result of negligence on our roads will be minimised.Even in cases of circumstances over which drivers have little control, such as a blow-out or mechanical defect, animals on the road etc, they can prevent death and destruction if they obey speed limits when unexpected events occur.In the meantime we extend our condolences to all the families of those who have lost their lives in recent road fatalities.For many this will not be a happy holiday season as a result of loved ones dying in road accidents.The ‘don’t drink if you plan to drive’ slogan should be a key catchphrase.We will certainly diminish our death toll on the roads if we can apply this, and other road rules and safety measures mentioned above.Yesterday an estimated 17 people were killed in a collision between an NDF vehicle and a minibus on the Grootfontein-Rundu road; and just prior to this, another accident on the Swakopmund-Walvis Bay road claimed another four lives.The death toll on our roads is sure to mount further unless urgent remedial action is taken and drivers exercise caution, good sense and restraint.One of the main causes of accidents remains, of course, alcohol abuse.A pre-Christmas ‘Think’ campaign in the UK emphasises, for example, ‘drink driving’ rather than ‘drunk driving’.The campaign focuses on the risks and consequences of drink driving, pertinently pointing out that ‘you can’t calculate your intake’.While on the roads this December, we should all think road safety and bear in mind key messages.By drink driving and non-observance of other road rules, we not only break the law, but also risk our own and the lives of others.Drink driving, among others, results in slow reactions, poor judgement, impaired vision and risk-taking on the part of those behind the wheel.Everything that can be done should be done to prevent people under the influence of alcohol from driving a vehicle.Among others, traffic and law enforcement officials on patrol or at roadblocks should pull such people off the roads immediately; members of the public should be vigilant and report to the authorities where necessary, those who break the law in this regard; owners of pubs and shebeens should themselves deter those under the influence from leaving their establishments and heading to their vehicles, and report them if they cannot be stopped.These are just some of the things that can be done to prevent further senseless carnage.There are, of course, other key safety rules and regulations which we would urge Namibians to obey.They include fastening seat belts; avoiding high-speed driving; driving with lights on to improve visibility for oncoming traffic; prevent tiredness during driving by taking breaks when necessary; watching out for animals on the roads; desist from using mobile phones while driving and switch them off completely to avoid the distraction when they ring; obey traffic signs and road markings, exercise caution when overtaking, do not overtake on blind rises or when visibility is problematic, and be particularly cautious when approaching blind rises; and lastly, avoid night driving unless absolutely necessary.Most road accidents could have been prevented.Most are a result of human error.If all Namibian drivers over this holiday season exercise responsibility at all times, suffering, injury and death as a result of negligence on our roads will be minimised.Even in cases of circumstances over which drivers have little control, such as a blow-out or mechanical defect, animals on the road etc, they can prevent death and destruction if they obey speed limits when unexpected events occur.In the meantime we extend our condolences to all the families of those who have lost their lives in recent road fatalities.For many this will not be a happy holiday season as a result of loved ones dying in road accidents.The ‘don’t drink if you plan to drive’ slogan should be a key catchphrase.We will certainly diminish our death toll on the roads if we can apply this, and other road rules and safety measures mentioned above.