The number of motor vehicles is increasing practically daily. In itself this is a sign of progress and of an improving standard of living. Yet, it is also accompanied by the bitter truth of many traffic accidents. Indeed, such accidents have, unfortunately, become a regular experience. Yet, the toll of lives and injuries on the roads must not be accepted as a simple fact.
Traffic safety, in all its dimensions, is a national concern. Every effort needs to be made to continue to identify and implement ways of cutting risks.
Over the years, steps were taken in the hope of making roads safer, such as improving driving tests, imposing stricter rules and tightening enforcement. The government has just unveiled plans to introduce harsher penalties for traffic-related offences. So may be the time is ripe for a detailed study to see what seems to be working and where adjustments and improvements appear to be warranted.
For instance, what kind of information is available to date on driver issues? Is there enough data available to indicate to what extent do alcohol and other drugs, speeding, reckless driving, improper driving, high risk behaviour and seatbelt violations, to name just a few factors, contribute to road accidents? Do the competent authorities follow closely what other countries are doing to enhance road safety and, if so, how is such information used on the ground?
A national study should go into various aspects, including the behaviour of drivers according to age group. Is it just an impression or is it a fact that young drivers are disproportionately over-represented in driving incidents? If so, what is the real cause?
Experts see driving as a complex mixture of cognitive, perceptual and psychomotor tasks. In addition to the cognitive processes involved in the driving task, a proficient driver ought to have mastery of a range of performance skills, classified as operational, guidance and navigational.
Research documents show that, generally speaking, young people would still have to develop the emotional, mental and physical abilities of an adult, even if some grown-ups too have a lot to answer for when it comes to safe driving. In addition to the physiological development factors, young drivers also do not have experience behind the wheel. Since a significant amount of learning about driving is based on reasoning processes, the lack of experience results in young drivers being more likely to make delayed, rather than avoidance, responses that anticipate safety situations.
The quality of the road safety education programme in place to date also needs to be taken into consideration. A national study would have to identify what should be done, according to experience, to ensure a modern practical road safety education programme, accompanied by a lot of emphasis on driving skills and responsibility.
In addition, one can never stress enough the role of parents. Parents have a big influence on their sons and daughters, so they have a considerable potential role to play. There should be well-planned initiatives to help get parents fully aware of such influence even in terms of road and driving safety.
Such education would need to be further strengthened by a well-planned, intelligent and ongoing road safety education campaign in schools. Along with their concentration on helping students to secure good academic results, schools also have the complementary role of helping to train children in skills to grow up living safely and happily.