Selfish drivers should be stopped

IT MAY BE NOTHING MORE than a matter of perspective, but it is clear beyond doubt that the internal combustion engine in a vehicle's body can be a weapon of mass destruction. This is so the world over where motor vehicles are used for the convenience of men and women, and recklessly used by other men and women who ignore the most basic rule of mankind that one must love one's neighbour as oneself.

The recent carnage on our roads is a matter of significant concern because, by and large, we normally so manage our use of these vehicles that we keep the loss of life on the roads under relative control; but things seem to have gotten out of hand in recent days.

This year so far, we have lost 24 of our brothers and sisters to road accidents, whereas last year we lost 18 lives. With some days left during the busy Christmas season, we would be happy if no more lives are lost; but this may well be a forlorn hope.

For sometime now, great concern has been expressed by the members of the Royal Barbados Police Force and by certain other stakeholders that the increasing disregard for the traffic laws and regulations breeds a general disrespect for law and order.

Some may debate this causal connection, but none can deny that when motorists and other road users ignore the traffic rules, then more lives are likely to be lost on the roads, and this seems to be happening.

It is therefore important that a number of the downright stupid actions undertaken by drivers while in charge of motor vehicles be stopped at once. We are all aware of the dangers of some drivers texting on cellphones or watching the miniature television sets installed on the dashboard, but it is similarly astonishing to think that some people, while driving, would be so irresponsible as to attempt to apply make-up or even tackle hair curlers or brush their teeth.

Given that vehicles are driven at minimum speeds of about 30 miles per hour, the scope for such an errant driver to maim, disfigure for life or even cause death to pedestrians or other road users is ever present. These actions also defy the laws or rules of self-preservation, since the driver may cause himself personal and serious injury in the event his irresponsible behaviour causes a collision. It is therefore not enough for our police officers to speak about the problem.

Our road traffic laws must be strengthened where necessary, and even now prosecutions must be brought against those drivers seen doing senseless acts while driving! It cannot be right that a small group of selfish drivers be allowed to break laws and thereby run the greater risk of breaking bones and breaking the lives of other road users.

The same is true of those who drive around without valid licences and insurance policies.
It is a monstrous disregard of the law and the penalties, in particular, must be strictly enforced and miscreants heavily punished.

If we have not mentioned the ZR drivers
and conductors and their subculture, that alone should set alarm bells ringing, because the problems under discussion are the breaches
of the traffic laws by ordinary law-abiding citizens; and therein lies the danger, for the contagion has spread, and now infects the general body of ordinary drivers.

Running red lights may cause death, but damage to the structure of our society by such wanton disregard by the average motorist for the law is far more harmful to the society than even the loss of life, dreadful though that is.