Times without numbers that avoidable accidents are occurring in our communities as a result of negligence.
Accidents are not only caused by reckless driving but also negligence of road safety measures. While plying in the neighborhood of Brikama, Serekunda, Jabang, and Latriya: you see piles and heaps of sand, gravel, and basalt everywhere and no one is addressing it.
People should ensure that our road is clear and clean from all sort of debris and building equipment. Recently, this had caused many accidents and the is increasing.
I want to call on Village development committees (VDC’s) to have a road safety sub-committee that will work with all relevant stakeholders at National Raod Authority and government Ministry of Transport, Works and Infrastructure, Gambia-MOTWI and other associations such as UTG Student Association of Public and Environmental Health.
Indeed, the mis-use of fog lights on vehicle continues to cause a high cost on the life of many people in this country but no authority or stakeholder is specifically addressing this to bring about amiable solutions. Drivers especially truck drivers mount heavy fog lights while plying on the trans-Gambia and many of us are a witness of this devastating killer.
Drivers without proper training are driving everywhere and there is no simple technology to detect reckless driving. This had also contributed to many accidents in The Gambia. Sadly, most of our men only ask for bribe.
Indeed accidents are inevitable, but can be mitigated in order to save our young children from being victims while going to schools and leisure.
Also, during traffic congestion many drivers will drive and ply on pedestrian tracks and sometimes knocking people with their bumpers. Motorcycle riders are no exemption on this. They never hesitate to ride on any lane of the road -“hatari”.
Furthermore more, it could be reduced by enacting a law that will not allow the shipping, entry, and clearance of scrap vehicles and tires from Europe but also enforce it. This will not only address accidents, but will promote clean environment by reducing the emissions.
In conclusion, civic education is civic empowerment. Let’s educate the masses, provide adequate incentive to enforcers, and bring to the book any offender.
For all this to happen; we need a holistic reforms (horizontal & vertical).
Mustapha Dumbuya Alias Mandela Jr
20th Nov. 2021.
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