Let’s observe Road Transport Safety Month

We can never imagine what life would be like in the absence of public transport for communities, schoolgoing children, workers and the entire nation.

This is a systematic government-inspired mode of movement for people and goods to various destinations for different personal and economic needs.

Eswatini, every morning, releases thousands of vehicles, registered and assigned to transport people and goods within and beyond the borders of this country.

Not only does this get people and goods moving, but it has a subtle and conspicuous manner of generating economy for the nation. It is imperative then that particular attention is reserved for Road Transport Safety for in there are human souls in the quest to reach destinations and goods meant for trade within the confines of the country and other countries neighbouring this beautiful kingdom.

The whole month of November, this fiscal year, shall be dedicated to observing, appreciating and improving transportation by road for the safety of the nation indulges and using this industry.

Road worthiness and good driver behaviour

There could be a plethora of reasons why there are road crashes where life could even be lost wherein road transport of any form is concerned.

However, principally, two causes have stood out as panacea on the road. One of such is irresponsible driver behaviour.

These sons of the soil who wake up in the crack of dawn and aren’t back to the house by dusk have done a tremendous job in the industry.

They shall always be commended to for that. However, there is need that their conduct on the road be regulated to ensure their safety and that of other road users at their disposal. In the quest to maximise profit within their trading hours, drivers are apt to overspeed and fail to adhere to many road rules, signage and markings.

This has caused horrific and even fatal crashes. Unroadworthy vehicles whose mechanical faults remain unattended in the quest to generate more money have also been a principal cause of accidents.

As we observe this era lets us be cognisant that improved road user behaviour and road worthy vehicles can cut traffic road crashes by a big number.

Overloads and passengers

In due diligence to make providence of services and getting people and goods to their destinations on time.

Road transportation is often tempted to overload. The latter is much talked about when passengers are involved, but the overloading of goods is as much catastrophic in the causation of road crashes.

In the month set aside to observe safety in transportation of people and goods it would be prudent for all involved and affected to prune anything and everything that impedes safety in transport.

Here is a scenario that in the quest to load more for increased profits, an accident occurs and all in lost life inclusive.

While law enforcement works tirelessly to ensure adherence and compliance to road rules, regulations and signage, it remains with the road user driver and passenger to initiate their safety on the road and those of other road users.

We laud our merchants in the industry be they transport owners, drivers, workers in transport and the very members of the public for keeping it together on the road.