OUR ROADS ARE SUICIDE
We read many articles in the news media but may complain that the articles are not always complete.. It may so in the case of road accidents and fatalities. Were every accident or road incident be printed in the media than there will be little space left for others.
In most cases road accidents and fatalities are caused, directly by the pedestrian or person killed. If we had a chart indicating where most accidents occur then it will be seen to be some of the townships and mainly the National Roads. The townships are not always easy to access due to little if any information leaking out to the news media.
The N1 and N2 and N3 seem to have the most accidents while N1 tends to top the log.
The section of the N1 bypassing Kroonstad complies with the required standards, it being only about 10km long but has too few crossing bridges for pedestrians and this may be a cause of some of the accidents on that stretch. This road is short and has sharp bends and bridges which are used by pedestrians and hitchhikers. In some cases it is difficult to see beyond the curves and hence driver and pedestrian’s sight is impeded. The bridges in this case spans the river and other water ways.Often large numbers of hitchhikers are present beside the road and they tend to stand on the driving surface when vehicles are approaching. As the vehicle approaches so they move closer to the centre line. And in many cases the vehicles have to swerve to prevent hitting the hikers. Small children have been seen playing on the side of the road while the parents are elsewhere. Pedestrians crossing the road do so slowly and deliberately to taunt the driver, it seems. And drivers may sharply drop their speed and end up with the possibility of a vehicle back-ending him.
The speed limit on this section of the N1 is 120km/h and while there are jay-walkers there will be accidents and fatalities.. So what is the answer to this dilemma?
With some exceptions, I believe the vehicle drivers are mostly competent and much of the causes do not rest with drivers But with the pedestrians and hikers. It would not be practical to train potential hikers and pedestrians to cross a road safely such an operation would take years to do and not much will come of it.
Mothers walking in a group with friends allow the child to walk on the tarred surface even while motor vehicles are driven on that section of road.. If a child is killed or injured otherwise the driver may have to take the blame: How do we fight, teach or instruct people to do the safe thing.? There is no lasting way.
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