Duties of Pedestrians
As a pedestrian, you should always use good judgement and not interrupt the flow of traffic. Crossing streets without any concern for traffic rules or signals is called jaywalking. It is extremely dangerous and can result in injuries.
•They must cross the road at a right
angle, or take the shortest route possible when crossing.
•They must not cross suddenly in front of
oncoming traffic.
•They must use sidewalks if provided. If
there are no sidewalks, they must walk on the left side of the road.
•They must obey all traffic signals.
Pedestrians crossing the road
(Zebra Crossing)
Causes of Road Accidents
1.Distracted Driving: Distracted drivers
are the top cause of car accidents today. A distracted driver is a motorist
that diverts his or her attention from the road, usually talking on a cell
phone, send a text message, or eat food.
2.Speeding: Many drivers ignore the speed
limit and drive 10, 20, and sometimes 30 mph over the limit. Speed kills, and
traveling above the speed limit is an easy way to cause a car accident.
3.Drunk Driving: When you drink, you lose
the ability to focus and function properly and it is very dangerous when
operating a vehicle.
4.Running Red Lights: When you are driving
your car, red means stop and not doing so usually leads to car accidents.
Drivers that run red lights, run the risk of causing wrongful death.
5.Wrong-Way Driving: When you go the wrong
way, everyone is in danger because you are heading towards a car accident.
6. Improper Turns: When drivers ignore the
rules of the road, car accidents are often the result.
7.Potholes: Drivers run the risk of losing
control of their car or blowing out a tire when they drive over potholes.
The roles of drivers in reducing road accidents
1. People should consider other road users
and work their own safety too.
2. Parents should teach their children to
take responsibility for their own safety when using the road.
3. Individuals can also register voluntarily
with the government as special road marshals to assist traffic wardens with
traffic management.
4. All categories of drivers and vehicle
owners must be made to undergo regular refresher courses because peer influence
in driving cannot be overlooked.
5. Public and private sector organizations must
be encouraged or compelled to regularly train their drivers.
6. Insurance companies should have
incentives, such as discounts on premiums for individuals and organizations that
sponsored their drivers for re-training programmes.
7. There should be no sacred cows or VIPs in
the enforcement of road traffic laws and regulations.
