| Speed, accidents, injury or death |
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| Written by Staff Reporters | |
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Dear Sir,
Barely a day goes by without some accident occurring on the roadways. First of all, I read that a motorcyclist (an off-duty Traffic Officer) was killed by a taxi-driver in Swakopmund. To knock somebody over and injure is a risk, I suppose, but to mortally wound implies speed and too much of it.
Photographs of combi-type buses badly smashed, rolled over (Rehoboth
road and to the North) or what-have-you implies more speed and a ready
ability to lose control.
A report (today) on a combi towing another vehicle being hit by a car (from the rear) whose brakes failed. Death caused another measure of failure. Speed in a faulty vehicle provides another grim aspect. In Windhoek, on suburban streets, how many times is a dutiful driver overtaken by a less-dutiful driver performing his/her art at speeds well over the given limit? Try the Otjomuise road, heading south for an example two mornings ago. Many other examples, virtually on a daily basis, any responsible driver will find weaving in and out a lane or lanes of traffic. And although some taxis have a confounding record, by no means are all these miscreants taxis. Mothers, fathers who left their sense of responsibility at home? But still too fast for their own abilities I am prepared to bet. If you are late, get up earlier or accept your personal failing. But going home, in the 5PM time? If you are late for the “soap”, safer behaviour heading for Olympia and Suiderhof would be the advice. The effort to do this will require a reduction of accelerator pressure: speed is controlled, particularly in urban areas. This control is well sign-posted. But what is this given limit? Any observant driver will surely note the numerous signs indicating a speed limit of 60 kmph. Does one assume that the speed kings and queens cannot see these? A possible remedy could be to teach these people some rather harsh lessons. When speed-trapped, apart from a suitable spot-fine, the assumption could be that the guilty driver does not know “road signs” and their warnings (perhaps they cannot read!). So how did they gain their license? Take them off the road, re-take their driver’s license, endorse the new license accordingly and let them suffer accordingly. For those speedsters involved in an accident: why should the insurance company pay for thoughtlessness or downright stupidity? If they can afford to speed, they can surely afford to their own costs, as well as those inflicted on others by their actions! It could be one way of saving expense of life, limb and property! But too much speed, too frequently, too much damage Another Blue Bullet, Windhoek. |
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