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TODAY we join the rest of the World in celebrating the remission of sin manifest in the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ, his triumph over death, as we mark the end of the Easter holiday. Unfortunately, as we have seen over the years, some among us wittingly or unwittingly crucify themselves and other road users through reckless behaviour on the roads.
However, unlike the Lord Jesus, we are mere mortals who do not resurrect but only end up as holiday statistics.
While Easter is a time for Holy Communion with the Lord, those of us not given to the gospel use the time for festivities, taking intoxicants in the process before taking to the road or getting behind the wheel.
Already 32 lives have been lost and 165 were injured on the roads since Monday last week in accidents invariably blamed on brake failure, tyre bursts, speeding and human error.
With all indications pointing to heavy traffic as people return from various destinations, the importance of exercising restraint and caution on the roads cannot be overemphasised for both motorists and pedestrians.
While the responsibility for our own safety, if we are fortunate enough to own our own vehicles, lies in our hands, we should not forget that we share the road with others and the safety of all other road users begins with us.
Worse still, we may have passengers who would have entrusted their lives in our hands, let’s ensure they arrive alive.
The same goes for public transport operators; the roads are likely to be teeming with travellers and the temptation is to carry as many of them as possible, either through overloading or maximising trips by speeding.
We should remember that all these vices contribute to accidents, and that 25 percent of all accidents are attributed to speeding.
While the cars we have today boast various security features and gadgets, we must never forget that it is not the car that is safe, but the man or woman behind the wheel. The safety of the driver lies in his/her attitude.
A change in driving attitude is the responsibility of every driver; we must all take ownership in preventing accidents.
We take this opportunity to remind all drivers of a few basic safety tips we all learnt at driving school: Stick to the speed limit, do not tailgate, be alert to changing conditions, and if you feel fatigued, take a break.
Most importantly, do not drink and drive, lest others drink at your funeral wake.
We urge police and other traffic safety officers to have zero tolerance to traffic offenders. Defective vehicles should be impounded, drunk drivers locked up and errant ones sufficiently censured as they are a danger to not only themselves, but also all other road users.
As we return from various destinations, let us drive to arrive alive
Online Reporter