INDUSTRY OBSERVATION

What are the priorities of the 
SA traffic authorities?

IT IS TO be expected that when travelling abroad, one inevitably compares any experience with your home experience or standards. 

I had the good fortune to spend almost an entire month travelling in Europe recently and in that time, I do not recall seeing one road traffic accident. It certainly wasn’t because my companions and I were not observant. It was, I believe, more of a case of European drivers just choosing not to tangle with each other. 

On my return, I was informed that from a staff complement of about thirty people in our office, three had been involved in road accidents or incidents, one person being injured. That represents approximately 10% of the office complement. I use this statistic purely to highlight the dire straits of road accident statistics in this country. 

As with office staff and employees at all levels, these people who were involved in road accidents are critical to the workings of the business. It is extremely distressing to have people close to us involved in accidents. The trauma and stress is huge, never mind the economic cost which, in the greater scheme of things, is not our major priority. 

Our office statistic, luckily, was an exception and is clearly not an every month occurrence but it underlines the crisis we South Africans are faced with. It has been said time and again, “one accident is one too many.” 

From a personal perspective, one of the major contrasts between some overseas countries and ours is the attitude and mindset of the person behind the wheel, the driver. 

Forget about relying on the authorities to keep the roads safe and accident free. It is we road users who need to change our attitudes and approach to driving. 

How many drivers do you know who believe that their awareness of the road, traffic and weather conditions coupled to their pro-active defensive driving techniques will minimise the risk of them being involved in an accident? Precious few I am sure.

Let us be honest, the only enforcement carried out in this country with any sincerity is catching drivers travelling over the speed limit - and only then because it is a proven money spinner. Why can’t the traffic authorities change their approach to traffic law enforcement?

My message to the authorities is: “Keep the money spinner and do with it as you want but instead of focusing mainly on speedsters, take the unroadworthy vehicles as well as the reckless and drunken drivers off the roads.” 

This, I believe, will achieve far more in the interests of traffic management and road accident prevention than hiding behind a tree and nailing speeding motorists. 

Another bugbear of mine is the excuse from road traffic authorities that there are not enough resources (read money), people or facilities to allow them to carry out their duties properly. To my mind, that is absolute rubbish. Why can’t we install very simple procedures that will make a difference to safe driving or the enforcement thereof? 

Here is such an example taken from one country I visited during my recent trip. In an area subject to varying weather conditions – hot, sunny summers and freezing snowy and wet winters – I saw a superb road sign allocating different speed limits for the different weather conditions on the same warning sign. A 120km/ hr limit for a “normal” sunny summer’s day and 40km/hr for bad weather driving. The sign had been very neatly divided into two and both options were very clear and virtually impossible to miss. 

Can you imagine us doing that here in South Africa? The standard 120km/hr limit for normal conditions on the highways and 40km/hr during thunderstorms rain and mist. 

Most of you will no doubt be aware or concede that the thunderstorms are notorious for causing accidents and pile ups. So in the event of a thunderstorm, everybody would be restricted to a speed commensurate with the risk and severity of the conditions. 

Of course there are impracticalities. Can you really imagine a traffic policeman sitting in the rain with the “bazooka” camera to trap the over 40km/ hr culprits and then even be bothered to stop a car in the pouring rain to administer the speeding fine for a 40km/hr speed limit?

My point: Resources and money have nothing to do with the problem. If there is a will there will be safe driving conditions!! 

I ask simply: Why is this not possible to achieve? I have to conclude that I do not think the will is there! It is a sad state of affairs when drivers obey the law only if they feel they will get caught.