TANZANIA: IMAGINE you’re driving in your home town or village. The traffic lights, the speed limits, the pedestrian crossings: they’re there to keep everyone safe and are not just random rules.
Whether or not you follow these rules often comes down to respecting other road users as stipulated by the law of the land.
If you respect this, you are more likely to stick to the speed limit and wait patiently at that red light. But, this has not been the case among some motorists, especially when darkness falls.
The worst part of it is the way some bodaboda riders jump, yell and crisscross traffic lights as if they are installed as decorations.
We must respect the traffic laws at all costs. Consider the simple act of stopping at a red light. It’s a safety measure and also about respecting the rights of others, as well as about obeying the law.
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Ideally, every driver would ponder the costs and benefits before acting, thinking, “If I run this red light, I might gain a minute but risk causing an accident and disorder, disrespect to others or incurring a fine”.
However, things don’t always work like this. In societies where education is less accessible or misinformation is widespread, with limited access to information, drivers may make hasty, ill-considered decisions like running a red light when no police are in sight, disregarding the consequences.
We must respect traffic laws, because the laws are there to benefit the public. It’s not just about avoiding a ticket or a fine from a traffic police; it’s about being part of a community that cares and supporting the norms which govern community life.
As you read this piece, be reminded that driving responsibly can not only save your life, but it can save the lives of thousands of other people on the same road you are using.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 2 million people a year are injured in car accidents.
With a few simple steps that all drivers can take, this number can drastically be reduced. Why not play a role in this? Obedience to traffic laws is crucial for maintaining order and safety on our roads.
But despite this, the frequency of traffic violations rotate around human behaviour that is complex, and individuals’ reactions to laws.
Therefore, no set of policies can ensure complete compliance with traffic laws if we will not change our behaviours on the roads.
It might appear that imposing stricter penalties would effectively discourage traffic offenses, but studies indicate that such measures are not consistently effective or enduring.
Through constant education to the public, we must reach a point where we realize that traffic rules and signs are designed to ensure the safety of drivers, pedestrians, and all other road users.
They are designed to regulate traffic flow, reduce the risk of accidents, and prevent chaos on the roads. Put in another way, they are the backbone of road safety, ensuring the smooth and orderly flow of traffic.
By obeying these regulations, road users contribute to the prevention of unnecessary accidents, reduction of injuries, and management of traffic congestion.
