adminTo Christians, there is no doubt that Easter is time to think deeper on the love that Jesus showed to people when he died on the cross.
Christians believe that Jesus suffered for a purpose, which was to give life to others.
But we recognise that it is not only Christians who will be excited about this long break.
People from all walks of life will be taking time to visit their relatives and friends in all parts of the country.
The common denominator among all these people is that they are taking advantage of the long break from work.
There will be a lot of travelling by Christians as most of the churches have arranged Easter conferences.
Those who are not Christians will be having family reunions and sometimes gather to perform clan rituals.
This is why we are expecting congestion on the country’s highways, especially today when people leave cities and on Monday when they return.
And this is where the problem starts.
The excitement that characterises this holiday has shown in the past that it has resulted in the death of some people in road traffic accidents.
Many drivers have failed to take heed to warnings and tips on how to drive safely during the holiday and this has resulted in the loss of life.
What is troubling is that several traffic awareness campaigns are carried out before every major holiday, but still the death toll from road accidents continues to rise.
Does it mean that these campaigns are a waste of time and resources? If they are not, then it means that drivers simply choose to ignore advice on how to travel safely when the roads are congested.
We are advocating for an Easter with a difference, which is free from fatal road accidents.Why can’t we have for once an Easter celebrated without the death of someone on the roads?
Like we said before, Jesus died and resurrected so that people can have life in abundance.There is no need for people to lose their lives unnecessarily during this Easter holiday.
We have to stress and repeat what has become almost a cliché that drivers must always take caution on the roads.If drivers are cautious and courteous to other road users, we will definitely witness a reduction in road accidents.
One does not need to be an extremely good driver to make it on the roads because what is needed is just to follow simple rules.We are reminding all drivers this Easter to concentrate by keeping their mind focused on their driving.
The drivers must also be able to anticipate by reading into things that are happening around them and this will obviously lead them into defensive driving.
We also expect the drivers to exercise their skills which they have acquired over time.
Most drivers are let down by their attitude on the road because they fail to stay calm and tolerant when confronted with some situations.The learner drivers and the newly qualified drivers will no doubt be quite familiar with the Highway Code because they recently undertook the theory test.
If you have been on the wheel for some time, why not refresh yourself with the Highway Code before you embark on the road. You will surely find something useful in there.
When cocooned in their vehicles, it is so easy for drivers to drive to their own rules and this is purely a result of lack of discipline that can result in fatal accidents, especially if the driver ignores speed limits and road markings.
There are other things that drivers can avoid this Easter holiday for them to stay alive.Resisting that urge to take to the wheel while drunk or frowning at opening that beer bottle while on the wheel can save that precious life. Drunken driving and driving under the influence of alcohol have become a serious national concern.
Overloading public vehicles and speeding have also been known as some of the major causes of accidents during such long holidays like Easter.
And the statistics are already alarming: at least 49 people died on Zimbabwe’s roads during the Easter holiday last year.
We hope that there will be no repeat of such unnecessary loss of lives this Easter.
Online Reporter