Movement Made Easy, Lifespan Shortened

These disasters can only reduce if and when we change our attitude to life.  When we begin to value our lives and that of others, then we will have reasons to obey traffic laws, avoid driving while drunk, and apply caution on our roads.  Then also the government will begin to ensure that our roads, railways, airways and marine routes are in good shape and that all transport rules and regulations are implemented and obey by the appropriate authorities.  As a way of reducing deaths associated with the transport systems, government should make sure that all intending drivers, pilots, etc are well trained and issued a certificate of eligibility.  This issue should not be politicized.  There is also the need to withdraw all overused and old vehicles, aircrafts, ships, etc and their certificate of operation.  This will reduce cases of breakdowns and break failures and also reduce the pollution of our environment.

One area that is very crucial in reducing accidents and other transport disasters but has much been neglected is the seriousness of the various agencies in charge of implementing transport laws and regulation in discharging their duties.  It is the duties of the personnels of the various safety agencies to see that all vehicles, aircrafts and ships are serviced at least on a monthly basis to ensure that they are in good condition to operate.  They are supposed to arrest and prosecute offenders of the laws and regulations of transportation and to sensitize them on safety measures.  But instead of doing these, what we see especially in the developing countries is bribery and corruption, while offenders get away free.  I am waiting for a day when traffic offenders and those who cause avoidable accidents by their reckless acts will be prosecuted and sentenced appropriately in this country as is obtainable in most developed countries.  This will serve as a deterrent to others.

Awareness campaigns on safety measures and implications of negligence, careless and reckless driving, disobedience to guidelines and regulations, etc should be thightened.  People should be educated and made to understand that, it is for the sake of their lives that they should drive carefully and obey traffic regulations and not just by forcing the laws on them. Most drivers today in this country only obey traffic laws because one Road Safety official is standing by and watching him, once nobody is watching, they do what they like. The government needs to be concerned about the safety of its citizens.  A country that does not value the lives of its citizens is not serious in its pursuit of sustainable development, after all what is sustainable development if the lives of the people are not sustained.