Be safe on the roads this festive season

For a long time road traffic accidents have been the leading cause of permanent disability and mortality among those aged 10 to 50 years. In many developing countries, not only is the incidence of various injuries increasing with road traffic accidents, which appear to be the leading cause of traumatic injuries.

Road accidents have become a menace to our country, more so as we approach the festive season. As we travel to various places, we all need a guarantee that we will reach our destination safely. Please be careful on the roads — whether as a passenger, driver or pedestrian. We are all reliable for the life of another individual. We must not speed or drink-drive but observe traffic rules.

As the country prepares to enjoy the festive season, we call called on motorists and pedestrians to be more careful and change their behaviour on the country’s roads during this time.

The festive period is a time when the country loses thousands of lives due to road accidents.
The regrettable fact is that road traffic accidents cost the country billions of shillings and is very much at odds with our vision to eradicate the triple challenges of poverty, inequality and unemployment. The onus is on us to reverse the damage done by road carnages by placing road safety at the forefront of the transport agenda.

The people who die on our roads are people we know … people die in buses, others in the trains, other people die walking on the roads. These people are family members. We talk about providers. We talk about leaders of churches. We talk about brothers, sisters, friends, colleagues and people who matter in everybody’s lives.

Deaths caused by road accidents have gone down by 242 people in 2015 compared to the same period in 2014 according to official statistics. Statistics by the Traffic Division of the Tanzania Police Force show that there were 3,969 deaths from road accidents countrywide in 2012; 4,002 in 2013 and 3,760 in 2014, while the total number of road accidents in 2012 was 23,578, 23,842 in 2013 and 14,360 accidents, in 2014. The situation needs to improve and motorists need to change their driving behaviour.

We should change our behaviour and attitudes for the better when we use the roads, especially as we approach the festive season. Buckle up! Do not drive while intoxicated or fatigued, do not use your mobile phone while driving, reduce speed, ensure the road worthiness of your vehicle and always adhere to road regulations.

The human and economic cost is too high for us not to re-think the manner in which we approach road safety as individuals.

We appeal clerics to not only pray for motorists to be safe on the roads, but to also preach safety on the roads in their places of worship.

If we don’t speed, if we don’t drive recklessly and disobey the rules of the road, if we don’t speak on cell phone[s] while we drive, we can reduce carnage on our roads.