Comply with new rules on night travel

Eldoret Bus Terminus on December 30, 2013. More than 50,000 people have lost their jobs since restrictions on night travel took effect. Photo/FILE 

 

In Summary

• At the outset, it needs to be clarified that the government never slapped a ban on night travel. On the contrary, it sought to enforce rules that will make travel safer for all.
• It is true most of the serious road accidents occur at night, there are many other factors that contribute to our horrendous road toll, including reckless and incompetent drivers, lack of basic road manners, overloaded and unroadworthy vehicles, and overworked and underpaid crew.

The new traffic rules introduced late last year to reduce the runaway death toll on our roads have been blamed for the transport crisis experienced over the past few days. (READ: Thousands stranded in public transport chaos)

The restrictions on night operation by public service vehicles have been hailed for reducing the usual festive season road fatality rate; but they also came at a peak travelling time when holidaymakers were going back home and schools reopening, worsening the seasonal transport crunch.

Increased safety is a small price to pay for the inconvenience caused.

At the outset, it needs to be clarified that the government never slapped a ban on night travel. On the contrary, it sought to enforce rules that will make travel safer for all.

The measures may have to some extent demonstrated the tragedy with crisis management in this country, being enforced as a hurried reaction to a spate of serious accidents ahead of Christmas.

It is true most of the serious road accidents occur at night, there are many other factors that contribute to our horrendous road toll, including reckless and incompetent drivers, lack of basic road manners, overloaded and unroadworthy vehicles, and overworked and underpaid crew.

Moreover, traffic police officers have turned road-blocks into cash collection points, while others own some of the vehicles which are, as a result, untouchable.

The government needs a long-term strategy to force order and sanity on the roads.

However, we would hasten to add that the new rules are not in themselves bad. It is now the onus of all—passengers, drivers, crew, and transport operators—to accept that stringent measures are necessary to reduce the death toll on our roads.

Compliance is not an option, it is mandatory.