Road Safety
On Monday,6th April I saw two abominations. Abomination because one of my gender expert friends always reminds me that female drivers are more disciplined than their male counterparts.The first was a female driver whose age should range from forty to maybe fifty driving against traffic in Gwarinpa, Abuja, in the Federal Capital Territory. I was tempted to tail her but changed my mind when I reflected on the possibility of her crashing.
All I did was to warn her against such driving behavior. Just as if that day was set aside for risk taking female drivers, I spotted another one parked just by the traffic light on third avenue by the War College junction, also in Gwarinpa. Because the traffic light had signaled our lane, I wound down my glass and politely said, ’’madam’, you cannot park at a traffic light junction like this. To my shock, the lady who also looked mature, like the first cited, politely replied and said, oga, please I am waiting to buy roasted corn. At a traffic light junction, I injected but unfortunately as I was about to say another word, the traffic light signaled by lane to move.
For the sake of gender balance, I was driving on the 9th April,2026 from Life-camp when the traffic light just before the Kado-life-camp round-about signalled us to stop. Like a scene from an action or car racing movie, I spotted three fully loaded coaster buses all driven by male drivers, whose registration numbers I couldn’t pick from a distance, overtake dangerously and ran the red light. Ironically, all the occupants were buried in their gist, hailing the driver for what we call, ’smart-driving.
This is why I have chosen to do a follow up to my earlier piece captioned, Bargaining with the Devil. These scenes seem to be my curtain opener on how reckless, irresponsible and risk taking a handful of drivers are. My second prompt is the death of my former staff’s mother who died in a crash caused by a front and rear tire burst. I hope someday I will find Grace to explore the details of that tragic crash that I was told killed three out of ten passengers.
Just like I attempted painting daily, across our bustling highways, built up areas as well as and crowded major city streets as well as even in the villages, a dangerous but quiet negotiation takes place with the devil. It doesn’t matter if a fatal crash just killed two or five with second degree injuries. This dangerous and risky bargain happens in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory that should be the most decent in driving mannerisms, in Lagos, Port Harcourt, and in other towns, highways, whether good or bad where drivers rehash James Bond,007 high stake scenes by making split-second decisions except for when they are constrained by the presence of loved family members in the vehicle.
This informal and risky negotiation can be described as’ bargaining with the devil’. I am talking about that moment when a driver irrespective of age, gender, status in society, religious inclination or political affiliation throws decency to the wind by trading safety, discipline, responsibility and civic duties for haste, and risk that the World Health Organization (WHO)says has claimed million lives and caused fatal injuries to millions, too.
This bargain is often hidden behind the wheel before it manifests openly. It is often hailed by occupants who often encourage the river to James Bond and take them quickly, faster to their destination. The bargain most times rarely feels like a life or death one; often appears harmless but like I said a fortnight ago, an increase above the approved speed limit, just a look at a phone like I wrote last week while recounting Golf Legend, Tiger Woods misdemeanor, or a just a bottle too many before a drive on a long or short distance. Over the years, these ‘innocent unharmful’ infractions such as speeding, distraction, one- way driving, impaired driving as well as underage and unlicensed driving are responsible for the current spate of avoidable road traffic crashes, deaths and injuries.
I know I cited speeding last week and a fortnight ago but let me again remind us that speeding according to the United Nations and World Health Organization is at the core of the global road traffic crash epidemic. Even, as a road safety practitioner, the temptation to speed above the limit especially on a good road and with a sound vehicle is high especially during rush hours, school runs or when hurrying to catch an appointment with so much promise. Your bargain is to arrive earlier in exchange for increased risk. Always remember that excessive speed reduces reaction time, increased stopping distance and magnifies the severity, in the event of a crash. What might have been a minor collision at moderate speed becomes fatal at high velocity. In that moment, the few minutes gained are dwarfed by irreversible consequences.
What about distracted driving? I am talking about the showoff with your smartphones to do all sorts. Or maybe like Tiger Wood, you delight in toying with your car stereo to select your favorite sound, favorite stations, multitasking in the process at the risk of your life. My personal experience has shown that even when I am not behind the wheels, the temptation to flip the phone, check chats is often high especially if the phone is new, expensive and classy. But do you know that just a fraction of a second staring at that phone is equivalent to driving blind. What is the bargain to avoid? It is the false belief that you can multitask by driving and using your phone at the same time.
Have you taken the pain and discipline to monitor what my friend calls the madness in town especially if you reside in Abuja like I do. From AYA to Karu junction-Nyanya, Airport city gate to Bill Clinton drive, the craze is nauseating. Vehicles driving to any of the estates along the airport road take delight in driving against traffic at the risk of their lives, disregarding their safety. These categories of defaulters again know no distinction. Both the big Abuja boys and Abuja babes indulge in this all because of impatience at their peril. Most times operatives of the various uniform agencies lead in defaulters instead of cautioning against insane driving mannerisms.
I have almost given up on the craze called running the red-light daily. Everywhere. By all categories of vehicle owners including top government functionaries with the false belief that they are immuned, above arrest without knowing that it is seven-feet under for every soul when it finally happens. All the cities and even satellite towns where the government has installed traffic lights to improve safety and improve road infrastructure. When it happens, we blame the government for our daunting risky driving behavior. The reality is that these are all human behaviors where we prioritize immediate rewards over distant consequences, bragging that it will never be our ‘portion’. But as you insist on bargaining with the devil, remember the road is always patient but never forgives.
Leave a comment