Online Reporter
TODAY we move into the long public holiday weekend incorporating Heroes Day and Defence Forces Day as well as wrapping up the second school term, so there will be a lot of traffic on the roads from this afternoon onwards.
As well as the extra private traffic on highways, we can expect many more people to move around cities, towns and districts for recreation and socialising.
In that regard, we can expect an increase in dangers on the side roads and feeder roads, urban and rural.
The growing number of private motor vehicles in Zimbabwe, a direct result of our fast growing economy allowing more to afford a car, plus the continuing upgrade and rehabilitation of both national highways and the urban and rural side roads, can make roads more dangerous.
More traffic can raise risks, and better roads allow more drivers to speed and behave badly.
Last year 24 people died on the roads during the four-day public holiday weekend, a big jump from the 16 in 2024.
And since then, we have seen economic growth of around 6 percent meaning more people have more money, more cars have been bought and more roads fixed.
We should be able to enjoy the rising prosperity, not marking it by killing and maiming more people on the roads.
The police have put in place a strong programme of deployment to protect the public.
There will be more patrols, more roadblocks, more stop-and-search operations.
Serious protection is offered to those who attend national, provincial, district and community gatherings to mark the two national days.
That is welcome, but there are severe limits to what the police can do without large-scale public co-operation.
For a start, those driving this weekend need to be law-abiding and careful; they must follow road rules, recognise the need to split drinking and driving, curb impatience and generally play their part in keeping roads safe.
This allows the police to deal with a small minority who continue not to care, rather than trying to handle everyone.
The police have over the last few years upgraded their roadblock operations and upgraded training.
This means that the law-abiding are hardly bothered, being just briefly checked and waved through with a smile.
In fact, the roadblocks and increased patrols are more of a deterrent, since those with dubious or unlicensed vehicles stay off the road, and those who want to drink and drive pause to recover before continuing their journey.
The police are also keen on livestock owners doing their bit, by keeping their animals off the roads as the law requires.
A wandering cow is not only in danger of being hit, but can cause accidents when some desperate motorist is trying to swerve and avoid a collision.
Pedestrians also need to be careful, although motorists should also respect their rights to use roads. We can avoid dangerous walking and dangerous driving.
Once again we need to consider others using the same road, and make life simpler and easier for them, which also increases our own safety.
Good advice is given all the time about the increased dangers of driving at night, and this is particularly relevant as there is not much moonlight this weekend and none for much of the night.
Those driving at night must think how long it takes to react to a danger and stop their vehicle, and make sure they can stop once they see a danger.
Many accidents are caused by a very impatient driver taking risks by speeding, overtaking when they cannot see far enough ahead, or generally being a danger.
It is a holiday period, so people should leave a little earlier and just relax a lot more on what might be a longer journey.
The police are on alert for criminals. Besides increasing protection for those, and their vehicles, at gatherings, they want the public to think and make life harder for criminals.
The police are major believers in reducing temptation and want people to use banks, not carry vast wads of cash.
Modern banking and mobile banking technologies back-up debit cards and allow a lot of spending to be done on a phone or with a card, even in the most remote areas.
We can look after ourselves better by being sensible and that allows the police action and protection to be more effective when a range of crimes from pickpocketing to armed robbery are just not worth the trouble for a criminal as there is little out in the open for them to steal.
Generally, the police reckon they can reduce dangers, but they need the co-operation of the law-abiding majority people who they expect to be careful and rational.
We can have a pleasant and relaxing weekend if we are.
