Road safety top priority this weekend

Authorities are pulling out all the stops to prevent a bloodbath on Namibian roads this long weekend as reckless drivers continue to claim hundreds of lives each year.
Since January this year, 2 600 car crashes have been recorded in which 4 444 people were injured and 438 killed, according to the latest Motor Vehicle Accident (MVA) Fund statistics.
Since 2009, more than 4 500 people have died on Namibian roads, in large part due to negligent or reckless drivers.
“It is evident that good infrastructure alone is clearly not sufficient to save our people from succumbing on the country’s roads, and only significant behavioural change among road users can make the road safer for everyone,” Sidney Boois, the MVA Fund’s senior manager of accident and injury prevention, said yesterday.
Boois urged Namibians to commit to a crash-free weekend, adding that it is the duty of every person undertaking a journey to drive safely.
In response to an expected spike in traffic and traffic accidents during the upcoming Heroes’ Day celebrations, road-safety authorities, including the MVA Fund, NamPol traffic division, local authorities and other partners are coming out in full swing under the ‘Opotuli’ road-safety campaign launched in June.
A number of interventions are planned, including random breathalyser tests, speed and roadworthy tests and a widespread presence of traffic observers.
“The coming weekend will see an influx of travellers mainly towards the North, West and other parts of Namibia, culminating in high traffic flow and increasing risk of crashes during this period,” the MVA stated yesterday.
It warned that due to the celebrations more drivers are likely to be under the influence of alcohol.
According to MVA Fund statistics, 12 peoples died in crashes during the Heroes’ Day week last year, while 193 people sustained injuries in 94 crashes.
Chief Inspector Amalia Gawanas of Nampol’s traffic department said the main concerns are speeding, drunk driving, non-roadworthy vehicles, overloading, talking on phones while driving, not maintaining safe following distances and impatient and reckless drivers.
She said traffic authorities plan to be highly visible on the roads this weekend “in order to prevent the unnecessary loss of lives and the transgression of traffic laws.”
Gawanas and the MVA Fund provided a number of tips for road users, including ensuring that your vehicle is roadworthy, mapping out the trip to make sure you have time to get to your destination, not drinking while driving, and taking regular breaks when driving long distance.
They warned that overtaking other vehicles should be done patiently and carefully in order to avoid errors of judgement and to be mindful of stray animals.
Importantly, sticking to speed limits could save lives.
The ever-increasing car crashes that have plagued Namibia for years led to a decision in June that all road-safety authorities combine their expertise and strengths to address the crisis.
The MVA Fund, in conjunction with the NamPol traffic department, local authorities and other partners, are on standby to effectively manage traffic over the long weekend.
The ‘Opotuli’ road-safety campaign was rolled out in all 14 regions and will continue until the end of January 2017.
JANA-MARI SMITH