By James Kamala
Educating the public on ways of adhering to road safety measures is highlighted as one of the solutions of halving carnage which has been taking away lives and causing property loss.
Road safety stakeholders in the country are advocating for the amendment of the Road Traffic act of 1973, which apart from being outdated, yet a big section of the public is not aware of it, leave alone not adhering to it.
In trying to figure out the extent of road carnage in the country, it is evident that more efforts are still needed to put in place to end the atrocities which cause socio-economic problems due to deaths and injuries.
"Between January and November 2020, a total of 1,800 road crashes occurred in the country, causing 1,158 deaths and 2,089 injuries," according to Liberatus Sabas, the police force's commissioner of training and operations.
Mr Abdulaziz Shambe is a victim of speedy and reckless driving who was involved in a terrible accident which left him physically disabled. He was involved in road carnage in just a year after arriving in the country from studies abroad.
He explained during this year's day World Day or Remembrance of Road Crashes Victims that he can no longer walk on his own. His wife has forsaken him and he remains dependent upon other people for all his life.
Mrs Fatma Tawfiq, a Member of Parliament who is also physically impaired after her car was hit by another vehicle, says: "Five years ago, I was Manyoni District Commissioner. My car was hit by another vehicle injuring one of my legs."
She vows to become a lifelong ambassador who will insist on educating the public and calling for changes of Road Traffic Act. Ms Tawfiq says her priority will be mostly vested on those road safety issues in relation with driving or using roads under the influence of alcohol.
"The cartoons do tell the stories of the status of road crashes in the country, ways of avoiding the risk factors and why people must care to take precaution on protecting lives of those using roads," she says. According to her, cartoons do educate motorists and pedestrians on what action to take with regard to how to reduce five risk factors when on the road.
The risk factors stipulated by the World Health Organization (WHO) include inappropriate or excessive speed, seat-belts and child restraints not used.
Other factors are crash-helmets not worn by users of two wheeled vehicles, roadside objects, not crashprotective, not using seat belts for vehicle occupants and use of alcohol and other drugs among drivers.
Speaking on behalf of the department, the deputy head of the police traffic department Mr, Mkadam Mkadam called for motorists to give away behaviours which are dangerous when driving vehicles.
"As the cartoons here advocates, actions like driving while texting or chatting on the phones are deadly and are punishable for they mean endangering lives and are part of recklessness driving," he said. Mkadam added that using good and verified helmet for the passenger and rider of the motorbikes must as well be embraced.
Road accidents have caused 1.35 million deaths every year according to WHO. Young people with the age between five years and 30 are the main victims. The interim executive director of Tanzania Media Foundation (TMF) Ms. Fausta Musokwa said that if journalists and cartoonists use their skills wisely, the general public will be cautious when using roads.
"TMF calls for cartoonists and journalists to keep on generating and disseminate content of the public interest when it comes to road safety. Use your skills and time endlessly to educate the public on the role of adhering to road traffic rules," she said.
Dr Mashombo Mkamba, board member of the Tanzania Network Against Alcohol Abuse (TAAnet), lamented on the lack of alcohol policy.
"We need an alcohol policy as a country which must state how and where alcoholic drinks are to be handled and traded. This trend of letting them available rampantly is in a way reversing the efforts of halving road crashes," she said.
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