ROAD SAFETY

By Fabregas Lee Kuan Kang

The number of fatalities and injuries associated with road accidents is steadily
increasing. Fatalities due to road incidents have now become a common occurrence.
The most important factor that needs to be looked at is social responsibility. The
attitude of drivers plays a major role in road safety. Drivers need to be cautions and
sensitive to all the safety rules and regulations of the road. Safe habits need to be
adopted and practised constantly. Drivers must take responsibility for their condition
at all times. For example, if drivers have consumed alcohol, they should not drive.
Drivers who feel sick, tired or upset should also not drive during these periods. All
these are elements of social responsibility. It must be understood by all drivers that
driving is the privilege of mature, responsible individuals who need to recognise that
things such as these are potentially dangerous if not taken seriously.

Road rules such as speed limits and no parking zones also need to be strictly
adhered to by drivers. Due to drivers disobeying these simple rules, they significantly
increase the risk of accidents and make it difficult for other drivers in the process.
Typical examples of drivers practising very unsafe habits are drivers who cut people
off in traffic because they are in hurry and drivers who make sudden lane changes or
attempt to outrun yellow lights. Drivers, however, are not the only ones to be blamed.
Drivers cannot effectively drive safety in unsafe conditions. For this reason, in line of
importance when addressing safety on roads is general infrastructure of the country.
Roads should be properly maintained in order to function safely and efficiently as
means of allowing transport to take place. Impediments on roads such as potholes
and fallen branches cause drivers to lose control over their vehicles and force drivers
to make illegal moves.

Maintenance of infrastructure should also include properly functioning lights

on roadsides for night drivers and properly maintained street signs and traffic
directing arrows. Many accidents are caused due to improperly lighted streets.
Drivers are unable to see oncoming vehicles in time and thus collide. Some streets
have improperly functioning lights while some streets have no lights at all. This is a
major safety breach. Good infrastructure is a necessity in the area of safe driving.

Areas of congestion are also common key locations of road injuries.

Congestion tempts drives to make illegal and dangerous turns, violate road laws and
also provides temptations such as overtaking in critical areas such as intersections,
which is definitely harmful and dangerous. Traffic police or wardens in key locations
can help regulate the passage of vehicles and thus, ensure a smooth, freely flowing
line of traffic which avoids putting temptation before drivers. Sometimes, congestion
is caused by avoidable reasons such as too many businesses located in a specific
area of cars which are parked on roadsides preventing free flow of traffic or even
roadside vendors crowding into streets, blocking vehicles. Surveillance is an answer
to this situation. If the reason for the traffic build-ups are determined and fixed, petty
road injuries can be thus avoided.

Laws restricting drivers to safe practices should be implemented. Although

there are already some, extremely strict adherence to these laws should be
observed in order to groom drivers to safe practices and to make them consciously
aware that there may be more than one consequence of speeding or drunk driving.
Spot checks should also be more frequently done. These checks should not only be
centred on looking for sober drivers or on looking for protective safety belts installed
on cars, but should also include quick checks on the vehicle itself to ensure that it is
in good working condition to be allowed on the roads. Functioning lights, good tyres,
good brakes and darkness of tint on vehicles should all be looked at because it is
also these things that lead to accidents.

It is common belief that new drivers are the cause of the majority of road
deaths. Therefore, a compulsory defensive driving course should be taken before
new drivers are allowed on roads to help with road safety. Finally, the non-driving
population should be quite sensitive and cooperative to the needs of the driving
population. For example, pedestrians should not suddenly dart across or walk very
slowly across busy roadway, but should observe road rules just as closely as should
a driver. People should also not allow their animals to run loose in areas of busy
roads. These animals tend to distract drivers and make them lose control of the
vehicle by dashing into the vehicles path.

In conclusion, the practice of road safety rules and regulations at all times is a
must for all drivers in order that people do not lose their lives in this most tragic
manner.