Lize Kubersky Traffic tragedies almost caused me to make an accident a few minutes ago. Contemplating how a season of festivity always seems to turn out as a season of fatality, made me channel all my attention into thought, rather than into my driving, causing the owner of a Mercedes Kompressor in the oncoming left lane to swear in anger as I neglected the right of way sign I passed without seeing. I was spared. So many have not been. Think about it. How many accidents occur because people are not focusing on their driving but rather staring into space? How many drivers are physically in the car, but worry about work, children and problems leading them to have delayed reaction and negligent driving culminating in accidents? More often people blame alcohol and/or driving incompetence as the leading contributing factors to the accidents that occurred from November 2006 to January 2007 and all the other tragic times in the past – they disregard the most evident sedation, everyday life. When people go to obtain their driving licenses, their focus is concentrated on obtaining the authority to drive legally. They want their card, thus it is all they think about. Wasting money by failing the test is not an option, so we compel ourselves to pass. As we all know rendering money for something substantial is a lot harder than spending money on a good time. Reality is that people should realize that when they drive – whether to the shop, or home from work, taking a bus to their hometown or travelling to celebrate Christmas at the coast – the attention should not be dispersed into what the destination offers but the trip itself. Drivers should tune the radio before taking off. Drivers and passengers should see seatbelts as clothing accessories. Personally, I call it my sophisticated, well-engineered vertical belt, a safety statement. What is more, mobile phones are endangering the driver in more ways than they might realize. Although people realize they will be fined once the police catch them operating a cell phone while driving, it is done frequently after scanning if the law is not around. ÃÆ’Æ‘ÀÃ…ÃÆ”šÃ‚ I know I have committed the crimes I identify, but the tragedies of traffic deaths have shocked me into scrutinizing my driving rulebook. If all drivers become aware that not they could be responsible for fatal accidents every time they enter an automobile, they will sensitize themselves to drive in a careful and responsible way. Other contributing factors include motor vehicles not being equipped with the right safety equipment. I salute traffic authorities for awareness campaigns compelling a red triangle to be present in all vehicles. Including regular services to identify if the vehicle is road worthy, a must to mention is indicators showing turning direction. What is more, we as drivers should consider our humanity a medium to prove that we are informed individuals contributing to a safe world. All those drivers who dare to risk a chance in safety are already identified as ‘Padvarke’. So let us comply with safe and focused driving and be called a nation of safe drivers. Eewa!