Editorial comment – Cut the senseless loss of lives

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Police at the scene of the accident at Nabukavesi along the Queens Highway yesterday. Picture: JONA KONATACI

THE recent road accidents around the country have strengthened calls for us to be vigilant, and strictly embrace road safety.

The deaths at Nabukavesi this week, between Suva and Navua, would have emphasised the need for us to think strongly about road safety issues.

Now that we are moving into the festive season, we are more inclined to travel.

There is going to be a rise in traffic around the country.

At this time of the year, when our children are on their school break, there is an opportunity to visit relatives, engage in family social gatherings that are usually held at this time.

There are traditional obligations that many families mark down for this time of the year as well.

It’s important though for us to remind ourselves about the need for vigilance.

Our beaches around the country will be filled to the brim. There will be a bit more relaxed people out and about.

With the general ‘winding’ atmosphere, will be a sense of joy!

It’s when alcohol is involved that the possibility of trouble heightens.

That’s when we must fall back on common sense.

Our police men and women are now engaged in patrols around the country, working long hours to ensure there is some semblance of safety on our roads and at popular picnic spots.

But they cannot be everywhere.

That’s why we must be part of the process of fighting road deaths.

Every year we talk about road safety.

Yet every year, the figures remain. People die on our roads.

There are accidents.

They happen because we allow them to.

Road deaths leave behind much more than just pain and suffering.

They have an impact on lost productivity and there is a cost attached as well from the attendance of emergency services to the post-accident care for survivors.

Police records list a number of factors that cause accidents.

They range from speeding, to inconsiderate driving.

Speeding ranks highest as a major cause of road accidents in Fiji.

It’s followed by careless driving and the fact that pedestrians have also been at fault.

Then there were accidents caused by driver fatigue, and dangerous driving and drink driving, hit and run accidents.

The message is quite clear.

We are causing road accidents.

We are speeding, driving carelessly, and not adhering to road safety tips when we walk on the side of the road.

We are not having enough rest before we start a journey, driving dangerously and we still take the wheel when we are drunk.

Let’s take a reality check.

Why should there be senseless loss of lives on our roads?

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