Keetmanshoop
To ensure safer and accident-free roads in Namibia every individual should make their contribution, so that no fatalities are recorded on Namibian roads.
Keetmanshoop Urban Constituency Councillor and Veterans Affairs Deputy Minister Hilma Nikanor has called for a collective approach to solving the road safety issue and to mitigate the unnecessary loss of human lives on Namibian roads.
Speaking at a recent road safety consultative meeting in Keetmanshoop, she urged all Namibians to work together with a common purpose to reduce road accidents, emphasising that road safety should not be seen as the job of the Roads Authority (RA) and Motor Vehicle Fund (MVA) alone.
She said road safety should be a shared responsibility by all concerned stakeholders, which includes government, the business community and individuals.
“We all need to work and pull together in the same direction in order to save lives on our national road network,” the veterans affairs deputy minister said.
She pointed out that most accidents on Namibian roads are the result of human error and, therefore, can be prevented. She expressed concern that the manner in which some road users conduct themselves contributes to preventable road crashes.
Nikanor pointed out some bad habits that may lead to accidents, such as driving under the influence, using cellphones while driving, and drivers flashing their lights to warn each other of a police presence on the road.
She says when drivers know the law enforcement hotspots they reduce their speed when they get there to avoid fines, but then continue to speed when they have passed these points, which makes it difficult for traffic officers to maintain order on the roads.
“This type of behaviour by some drivers defeats the purpose of such efforts by traffic officers,” she noted, adding that this behaviour is contrary to what one would expect from responsible drivers.
Such behaviour contributes to the spate of road crashes and injuries to both individuals and government, saying the financial costs of road accidents are very huge, while the social and emotional impacts are even bigger.
Various stakeholders, including traditional and church leaders, as well as various official and non-governmental institutions, attended the one-day meeting, organised by the RA.