adminFact Jeke Behind the Wheel
The number of vehicles on our roads continues to increase at an alarming rate with vehicles constituting the bulk of imports into the country.The influx of grey imports, mainly from Japan, has not been matched by the necessary infrastructural developments to match this increase, which in turn has given rise to problems such as congestion that has fuelled the growth of a new breed of reckless driver.
In this issue I am going to tackle reckless driving, which has become almost endemic on our roads. Reckless driving has cost lives over the years and insurance firms have had to pay out million in claims as the situation continues to escalate as a result of congestion and to some extent unlicensed drivers on our roads.
Reckless driving can be defined as the operation of a vehicle in a dangerous manner and usually involves speeding (or going too fast for the conditions, even though within the posted speed limit), drunk driving, having too many passengers in the car, cutting in and out of traffic, failing to yield to other vehicles, and other negligent acts.
So driving more than 20km per hour above the speed limit is considered reckless driving. Generally, driving over 80km/h is considered reckless driving by law.
This means that even if a driver is driving straight, using the turn signal, and yielding to traffic, he or she can be pulled over and charged with reckless driving. Driving over the speed limits or below the speed limits endangers yourself and pedestrian and other road users.
It is easy to spot a reckless driver while on the road. These drivers are likely to change lanes frequently, speed, tailgate and swerve. In Harare, you can witness this kind of driving on Friday nights and during the course of the weekend.
In the case of the small cross town vehicles drivers, this is an everyday occurrence from Copacabana all the way up either Leopold Takawira Street or Robert Mugabe Road.
The main culprits are commuter omnibuses and pirate taxis. Driving along major roads such as Samora Machel Avenue and Jason Moyo Avenue during peak hours has become a nightmare due to the problem of congestion which prompts some pirate taxi and commuter omnibuses to drive like madmen.
They weave in and out of traffic, use road shoulders and islands to get ahead of other drivers and in the process risk sideswiping other cars.
These drivers have also turned some stretches of the city roads into blackspots. For instance, the stretch of Leopold Takawira Street between Samora Machel Avenue and the main entrance of Girls High School and that of Sam Nujoma Street between Herbert Chitepo and Josiah Chinamano avenues have to be negotiated with extreme caution as commuter omnibus and pirate taxi drivers have turned these stretches into pick- up points.
It’s common at these stretches for commuter omnibuses and the pirate taxis such as Toyota Vitz, Ipsums and Gaias to weave in and out of traffic as they try to evade the police which some of these vehicles have a tendency to make illegal U-turns as they chase after passengers.
To make matters worse some of these pirate taxis are not even insured which greatly inconveniences other drivers in the case of an accident.
The stretches that I have referred to are just two examples of a deeper problem that is widespread in Harare. While reckless driving is a criminal offense that is punishable by high fines and/or imprisonment and the suspension or revocation of one’s driver’s licence, it appears that not enough is being done to enforce the law to the letter judging by the wanton abandon with which traffic regulations are being flouted on a daily basis.
I have even observed that reckless drivers normally play loud music, which inhibits them from hearing vital sound around them such as the blowing of a horn.
Reckless driving is most prevalent in male drivers under the age of 30 mostly because some lack experience while others will be enjoying the thrill of being behind the steering wheel for the first time.
The best way to deal with reckless driving is not to compete with a reckless driver let them pass if they are behind you and do not attempt to overtake them if you are behind them. If you feel that it is dangerous to continue driving pull over until the reckless driver passes and report them to the police if you can.
So till next week enjoy, be safe and God bless you.
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