The ManicaPost
SATURDAY January 18, 2020 will forever remain etched in the minds and hearts of those who lost their beloved ones among the 16 that perished when a General Bande bus collided with a haulage truck at the 218km peg along the Harare-Mutare road.
Typical of road accidents, none had ever imagined this would happen. Those that perished on the fateful day indeed died planning on the next day, next project or even the next meal.
Alas, at 1700hrs, they could not live to see the next hour!
What boggles the mind is the mere fact that this needless loss of precious human life could have been avoided if only a little more caution and patience was observed.
From evidence gathered after the accident, it is now beyond reproach that speeding was the major cause of that accident.
Yes, the bumpy surface of the tarmac at that blind curve, which has now become a black spot, contributed immensely but numerous vehicles passing the same spot at safe speed are safely negotiating past.
It is against this background that after having lost 16 lives, we once again castigate risky and reckless driving epitomised by speeding.
According to the Traffic Safety Council of Zimbabwe, about 90 percent of road accidents are a result of human error, with speeding and overtaking errors topping the list of major causes of road accidents.
Government in 2015 introduced Statutory Instrument 129 of 2015 which demands that no person on any road must drive a passenger public service vehicle unless such a vehicle is fitted with a speed limit device.
However, five years down the line, nothing appears to have been done to effect the SI 129 despite passengers perishing on the roads year-in year-out.
If one thinks that speeding only means going excessively over the speed limit, then they should think again!
Exceeding the speed limit by only five or 10 kilometres per hour can make a life-or-death difference in a car crash.
Imagine hitting an animal on a curve on the road and being unable to regain control of one’s car because they were speeding ― and going just over the safe speed limit.
It can really make a difference in the safe handling of one’s vehicle, and in their ability to brake effectively when one needs to.
In the same breath, there are also several do’s and don’ts that the travelling public ought to always take note of each time they plan on a journey.
Preparing in advance to leave earlier so that one has more driving time is one way of avoiding speeding. Expect the unexpected.
One should do whatever they can to ensure that they will not be running late. When this is done, one is sure they have plenty of time to drive safely to their destination, and avoid all the dangers associated with exceeding the speed limit.
This is especially important if there is inclement weather. One would need a lot more driving time if it’s raining heavily or foggy.
Any of these situations increase the incidence of accidents even when one is not speeding. Being in a hurry combined with bad weather and/or poor road conditions is a recipe for absolute disaster.
Our ardent prayer is that we have less of these fatal accidents and, if possible, this could be the last of its nature for the year 2020!
