Clearing the way to road safety

Factors leading to road accidents:

The objective of this article is to draw attention to the measures needed to prevent road accidents based on observations and experience of the writer who has toured many countries

Mithra ARIYASINGHE

Many drive in an indiscipline manner, violating road rules or Highway Code.

Some drive at inappropriate speeds without considering road and traffic conditions. Research has indicated that speeding over 40 mph in road intersections, bends and corners, sharp downward slopes, wet roads, during rain and fog, poor lighting and low visibility, thickly populated urban residential, schooling and bazaar areas, pedestrian crossings and road humps is risky.

Being inconsiderate about other road users, selfish or impatient lead to many road accidents. Some do not pay special attention to vulnerable sections like children, elderly and disabled, who need special protection on the roads and crossings, when driving.

Some drive under the influence of liquor or drugs and some without having had sufficient sleep or rest. They are more likely to meet with serious accidents, particularly affecting pedestrians, cyclists and three wheelers.

In cities like Stockholm, London, Chicago, Sydney and Tokyo, cameras are placed at key points on roads enabling Police operation rooms to spot violations and offenders.

Sri Lanka has a higher level of violations of traffic rules and road accidents. Therefore police and legislators must be directed to formulate a system to ensure a higher level of efficiency and effectiveness in road accident prevention and road safety.
 

 Year      Total number of accidents	      Fatal accidents
1990                   34,463	                        1714
1992                   37,777	                        1302
Past five years     over 50,000                	over 2,000

Authorities, in designing road arrangements have not taken precautionary measures about such violations by drivers, particularly in constructing bends, corners and road intersections. We have seen certain such places that do not have separate pathways for pedestrians, cyclists and slow moving vehicles. Appropriate road warning signs to raise awareness should be installed to ensure safety of pedestrians and motorists.

The absence of warning boards and road signs to indicate appropriate speed limits near schools, urban residential and bazaar areas is another factor contributing to road accidents.

The authorities can communicate with the media to influence the concerned parties to make improvements. Some drivers, particularly bus and truck drivers display poor maneuvering, reckless driving violating road traffic rules, driving at hazardous speed of over 50mph in built up areas. They are also responsible for this condition. Research has shown that such speeds are hazardous in built up areas like residential or bazaar areas.

Preventive measures

Doubts prevail whether such drivers have obtained their driving licence following proper and strict training and trial.

Re-educating and re-testing them is essential. Authorities should arrange a system to monitor driving schools and issue of driving licences to prevent corrupt practices and the issue of licences to incompetent drivers. Traffic duty personnel deployed on streets should be trained effectively in informing and communicating with drivers about their violations in a manner they realize the gravity of the risks and offences without making them drive in rage.

Taking measures ensure safety in driving vehicles on highways is also important. Drivers should make sure that wind shields are clear and wipers are functioning properly. The rear and side view mirrors should be properly adjusted to view accurately without any blind sides. Headlights, low beam dim lights, signal lights, tail lights and stop or brakelights and seat belts should be in good condition.

To ensure safety in driving on highways, it is essential for drivers to ensure that the brakes both foot and hand are efficiently functioning, steering mechanisms, gears and horns are functioning properly. They should check that wheels, tires properly and securely fixed, aligned and not worn unevenly or badly and the air pressure is correct .

Gasoline, oil, brake fluid, radiator water, battery fluid levels and the fan belt should be checked to ensure correct levels and proper functioning of them.

Properly monitoring, mentoring, supervising and even re- testing drivers is important to ensure safety of road users. Public transport drivers, van, truck and container drivers should be the main criteria. Such drivers must be educated, trained, supervised and monitored to ensure they do careful driving while adhering to correct lane travel and proper signaling before changing the direction of travel.

Their vehicles must be subject to regular inspections to ensure safety, in maintenance, loading and Highway Code and speed limits observance. This category of drivers are mostly responsible for road accidents in Sri Lanka.

All medico legal society members should press for such action and also recording road safety/risk features and how they can contribute by sending recommendations to road engineers to improve road environment for safety.

Swift police action

All traffic police officers must be well trained on traffic rules to be alert and moment they spot violations to blow the whistle. Police must be trained how to communicate with hand signals to indicate the violation and correct even during peak hours. They could note down the vehicle number and get them to a point where they can stop and warn or initiate action to rectify it. Where appropriate, they should initiate legal action. Police officers should be given a booklet with formats in duplicate to record such violations, and issue a copy to the violator speedily.

Police should carry out patrols and even concealed patrols in civvies to spot violations, communicate to violators and uniformed officers to detect high accident prone areas. e.g. Negombo Road.

Ensuring safety in driving vehicles across level crossings

Serious accidents with heavy casualties have happened at level crossings for many years.

Some have been due to impatience of bus or van drivers trying to cross the level crossing without due precautions ignoring safety measures.

Some try to go across the level crossing without observing the approach of a train at distance. Some do not wait till the vehicle in front has cleared the crossing and make sure that sufficient room is available beyond the crossing for it to move.

It is essential to have warning signs and manned gates at level crossings to prevent such risky driving.

The writer is a Retired Senior DIG