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Thu May 23 14:44:20 SAST 2013

Road safety campaigns will not change drivers' mindset: iLIVE

Hein Smith, Fairland | 02 January, 2013 12:42
The N3 highway. File picture
Image by: Veli Nhlapo / Sowetan

The Government and the private sector may spend millions on campaigns to reduce deaths on our roads, but they would not be able to change the mental attitude of the drivers.

The mindset of the drivers and road users must change in order to reduce the number of accidents. People drive on the road with an attitude that they can do what ever they feel like doing, without any consideration of the other road users. It is a matter of everybody for themselves and the hell with the other road users.

They may reduce the speed limits to say 60km an hour, but this would not prevent people with the wrong attitude to change. The number of head on collisions in it self give you an indication of how our mental attitude is causing accidents. People pass other vehicles on barrier lines and on blind rises. No law will changes these peoples attitude.

This is the single largest cause of the accidents. The fact that these people were speeding or driving under the influence does not prohibit them from passing other vehicles in dangerous situations and within sight of oncoming traffic.

You must just get out of the way. It is these drivers that we need to “remove” from the roads to make it safer. It is this selfish attitude that needs to be changed in order to reduce the deaths on our roads.

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