How many deaths will occur on our roads this Easter?
We are surrounded by impatient, rude idiots who think it is OK to endanger their own lives and those of others by driving at speeds of more than 140 kilometres per hour and overtaking on a solid line
The long-awaited Easter long weekend has arrived and numerous holidaygoers and Mozambican nationals will make their way to the neighbouring country.
Lowveld Media journalists, law- enforcement officials and rescue workers are all waiting with bated breath to see what carnage will take place on our roads.
I was once on duty during Easter and had my hands full covering all the fatal accidents.
It is usually taxis or bakkies heading to Mozambique that are involved. The vehicles pull trailers which are fastened with nothing more than a rope, causing them to swerve uncontrollably over the road, steering the vehicle in the way of oncoming traffic.
The scenes are awful and upsetting as most of the victims are Mozambicans making their way home with essentials and gifts for loved ones bought with hard-earned money – the fruit of their labour on farms and mines in South Africa.
Very personal belongings lie scattered in the road – like crockery, clothes, toys, blankets, rice – almost anything you can think of. And in nearly every instance a bicycle forms part of the load.
We are all horrified when we see a taxi heading eastwards, pulling a trailer so overloaded that the driver obviously cannot possibly have a clear view of what is going on behind him, not to mention the load in the taxi itself and on its roof.
In addition, the vehicle isn’t in a roadworthy condition, with indicators and headlights often not in working order.
We see these vehicles being pulled over by traffic officials who then impose huge fines on these drivers.
And it makes me wonder – how was it even possible for this driver to have travelled all the way from Gauteng to the Lowveld, without a traffic official ordering him not to travel an inch further in that death trap?
These drivers most likely accumulate fines totalling thousands of rand, stash the forms in the vehicle’s cubbyhole and hope they make it to Maputo in one piece.
One can only wonder how long it takes for the relatives of the deceased to be notified that their loved ones didn’t survive the trip back home, as these occupants often don’t have any form of identification on them.
Survivors of accidents sometimes cannot even tell police who the deceased were as they were mere hitchhikers to whom they had given a ride hours or minutes before tragedy struck.
Vehicles that are falling apart are not the only force we have to reckon with. We are surrounded by impatient, rude idiots who think it is OK to endanger their own lives and those of others by driving at speeds of more than 140 kilometres per hour and overtaking on a solid line.
Fellow motorists – I plead with you – remain calm, remain focused. Plan your trip in advance and rather leave earlier to avoid speeding to the border or wherever your destination may be.
Take regular breaks. If you do drink and drive, I hope it is you who die and not some innocent road user who was just unlucky enough to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Have patience with one another. Adhere to the rules of the road. Ensure your vehicle is roadworthy. And pray that we all have a safe trip.
On a lighter note, enjoy the well-deserved break. May we all return to work refreshed and ready for whatever else the year has in store for us.
