Global Killer No.1 - Road Accident - Part I

Last week was a not that fulfilling week for me as i found out something shocking. It happened last thursday, at night. I was finishing my tutorial with my colleague, Farid Affendy and surfing the net as always. And so, i sometimes would log in into facebook but he convinced me to read a blog from a local blogger.

All of a sudden, i clicked on the post 'Kanak-kanak 2 Tahun Dilanggar Van', and it showed me something shocking that i spontaneously said "OTK" (Oh Tuhan KU). On 15th of this month, two years old Chinese Kid was hit by a van. This happened in a busy street in Guangzhou Foshan (see the small shop around there). Shop owner and passing people did not care at all.

Later on, a young man who claimed to be the accident driver called the news reporter. However, some of his remarks have made the public even more furious with many accusing him of being a ruthless ‘animal’. Things that caught my attention is what the driver said and not those 18 peoples that lost their faith in human nature. The driver confessed that he was on the phone while he hit that little girl. As we know talking on the phone while driving might cause an accident or even worse,death. So, consequences of this high risk behaviour on the roads can be damaging for the driver, other road users and their families. It is not wrong to say that high risk drivers are insensitive and selfish human beings who do not care for anyone, not even themselves.

My point here is road crashes can be avoided before it happen, I use the term crash and not accident because most of the time it is never an ‘accident.’ You never accidentally speed, or accidentally drink and drive or use your hand phone while driving accidentally. We have to first understand that to crash or not to crash is in our own hands.

It is time we woke-up and realise that our ‘tidak apa’ (don’t care) attitude towards road safety can be bloody and even cause death. Considerate the key factors like speeding, driving under the influence, (DUI) distractions, fatigue and not using restraints properly contribute to death on the road, is the major step towards embracing road safety. Think road safety if not for you, at least for your loved ones.

In the next article on Global Killer No.1 - Road Accident - Part II, have u ever heard an infamous oldage Malay saying which is preparing your umbrella before the rain falling? And why the term 'prevention' is so important especially on the road safety? Stay tune...

till then :) ,

Ruzaini Haron.