Step up national road safety campaigns

Why has it proved so hard to stop the carnage on our roads? It is easy to conclude that the approach to road safety has been wrong even as the death toll continues to rise.

According to the latest statistics from the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA), there were 1,722 deaths as a result of road accidents, up from 1,600 in July last year.

This calls for more effective measures to curb the ever-rising death toll. Evidently, little or nothing has been done to create deterrents or increase awareness and thereby enhance road safety.

Of the 1,722 who have died from road accidents this year, boda boda motor cyclists are responsible for 302 deaths. This should not be surprising because many cyclists have no formal training in road safety measures nor the competency in riding motor cycles.

Some of the motorcycle riders, including motorists in the private and public service sectors take to the road while inebriated consequently hampering their judgement while also slowing down reactions in emergency situations.

Laying emphasis on attitude and behavioural change during the National Road Safety Campaign while also introducing stiffer custodial sentences for serial offenders are likely to achieve a lot more than haphazardly mounting roadblocks that act as conduits for corruption. Exhorting motorists and passengers to appreciate the role they play in making the roads safer will help curb the fatalistic attitude exhibited by many of them. To go hand in hand with that is a complete retooling of the Traffic Department so long known for their predatory conduct than anything else.

The corrupt ways of the officers feed off the periodic crackdowns such as those ordered by Inspector General of Police Joseph Boinnet yesterday. They serve little purpose because they are in any case, reactionary and random. The exercise must be continuous and unannounced.