VEHICLE tyre bursting is not originated only from defectiveness, but also expiration. And fortunately, some drivers are not aware of how to establish the tyres’ validation period.
Probably, it is because of how manufactures put validation information on their products, writing only in what week of a certain year the tyre has been manufactured.
“It is like ‘20th week of 2023’, only to let the buyer go for calculation to establish expiry date,” said Mwanza Regional Chairperson for the Association of Private Driving Schools (Chashubuta), Mr Laban Ochola, during the commemoration of Road Safety Week in the city.
When someone goes for a wrong calculation only to have the outdated tyre, then road crash is unavoidable when the vehicle gets in motion.
The bursting of both the outdated but new tyre and the valid one but with zero treads (dilapidated), have the same negatives when a road crash comes in, affirmed the chairperson.
However, the one with zero treads can in various ways attract the crash, including vehicle overturning especially during the rainy seasons, because the roads are slippery.
The other thing to consider in a bid to fight the road crash is tyre air filling, an act that one must consider the manufacturers’ directives.
In most cases, air filling depends much on the function of a certain vehicle, wherein the volume for a family car, for instance, is obviously down compared to that of cargo.
“We call on all drivers to attend driving schools to have the knowledge about all these issues,” advised Mr Ochola.
In driving schools, drivers are also taught how best to inspect the vehicle every day, before one gets on the driving wheel.
One should walk around; check the vehicle to determine if it is safe to go for a certain trip. This includes observation on how properly the tires are fixed, so that no one can come off during the motion.
The checking is also applicable for signs and lights operation, car battery, mirrors, seat belt, brakes, oil and water, among others.
According to Mr Ochola, Chashubuta has come up in the presence of some drivers who skip the schools but have driving licenses and certificates.
These drivers hinder the efforts to fight road crush,he said, due to their ignorance over road safety rules and regulations. He urged the Police Force to cooperate with Chashubuta in search of the drivers who seem to be one of the road causes.
“But we can also make it by ourselves if Police give us the permit to expose the drivers with fake certificates. And let people know that it is the Police that issues the license, not driving schools. Many have been blaming driving schools when a road crush involves a driver with no qualification but holds a driving license,” he said.
He, at the same time, commended the Police that has been setting a new system, conducting driving tests every time a driver goes for license renewal.
A move will serve in fighting the accidents, because only qualified drivers will be on roads, he said.
Chashubuta also invited all driving schools to join the Association, so that they can speak the same language in the fight of road crashes. Tanzania Electric Supply Company Limited (Tanesco) Mwanza office was also on the list to celebrate the Safety Week.
Its Marketing Officer, Ms Prisca Kayaga, said the company is always encouraging safe and careful driving, for protection of its infrastructures located along the roads, mostly the poles. Careful driving is of importance for quality and sustainable power supply, she said, adding that internally Tanesco has been inviting road safety experts from outside to shower the staff with road safety education.
“Everyone must attend the session because the staff are always on roads to fields and vice versa. It helps them voice up when drivers violate road safety rules,” she said. Mwanza Regional Traffic Office (RTO) representative, urged more institutions to imitate Tanesco, affirming that traffic officers are available any time for public education, anywhere.
Police Public Education Desk officer, Sergeant Ninga Gilagiza, stressed that cooperation is of importance, road safety is a cross cutting issue.
The officers are regularly visiting the gatherings, including the learning institutions, bus and motorcycle stands as well as markets for public education.
“We need to fight the crushes because over 80 per cent of the causes are human errors, including high speed, alcohol consumption and road signs overlooked, to mention a few” he said.
Mwanza Regional Commissioner, Mr Adam Malima, commented that the week was mostly for the provision of public education on rules and regulations in line with road safety.
In efforts to fight the fatalities, Mwanza has been enacting the by-laws, which direct among others, the removal of defective vehicles on roads within two hours.
Contrary to that, breakdown service vehicles will make it under owner expenses. “And we have our permanent tagline that says: ‘Welcome to Mwanza: Please adhere to road safety laws and regulations, avoid stern punishment,” he stressed.
Launching the Week, Prime Minister (PM), Mr Kassim Majaliwa, issued the directives to relevant authorities, in an effort to reduce the number of road crashes.
Among the directive was intensive public education to all road users, as the number of fatalities and injuries was alarming.
He revealed that there were about 5,132 road accidents in the period of the past three years (2020 to 2022), causing 4,060 deaths and 6,427 injuries.
Absence of two drivers for long trip buses seemed to be part of the causes, said the PM while directing the authority to make sure every bus has more than one driver.
He at the same time urged the citizens to adhere to road safety rules and regulations, since the number of fatalities and injuries was so high.
The general public must stop some cultures like abandoning defective vehicles on roads with no breakdown signs, a move that leads to road crashes.
“People should also avoid leaving children unsupervised on roads, with every one being providing information about drivers who violate traffic rules and regulations,” he insisted.
