I AM a safety practitioner in the company that I work for. We have a policy in the company which encourages employees to refuse to do any work if it is unsafe regardless of who gives them the instructions.
I have, like many Zambians have been saddened by the spate of accidents and deaths happening on our roads.
RTSA and police alone cannot do much to curb this carnage. The immediate answer I believe is passenger empowerment.
I would therefore like to suggest that passengers be empowered to take charge of their own safety by monitoring the performance of the drivers and taking action.
As a starting point, all public vehicles must carry a notice from RTSA that informs passengers of their right to stop the bus and disembark if they feel unsafe with full refund.
The commuters must also determine which bus companies have the most reckless drivers and boycott them to send a clear message to the operator’s pockets.
This must start as a national campaign to be spearheaded by RTSA, Civic organisations and the general public and with the President to spearhead the campaign.
RTSA can continue in the interim to work with RDA and Contractors to ensure that all the engineering and safety furniture is incorporated in the new and existing roads to minimise Kamikaze speeds on our motorways.
We all know why speed traps will not solve the problem. We have no time to waste!
HOWARD DZEKEZA
