16 Mar 2014

Youth form a high proportion of the country’s population and contribute to 50 per cent of fatalities per annum through road accidents, says Ms Kedumetse Joubert of Department of Road Transport and Safety.

Addressing out of school youth workshop participants at Kanye Education Center on Wednesday, March 15 Ms Joubert said the increased risk of crash among young drivers could mainly be due to their inexperience on the roads, driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol, over speeding and poor road environment.

Ms Joubert said they were less able to accurately perceive hazards, control the vehicle and make appropriate decisions on the road. Peer pressure also could also make them behave in a risky manner on the road, she added. She said young males take more risks than females. High risk levels are a product of both who they are and the environment in which they exist, she said.

Ms Joubert told participants that road accidents traumatised individuals, families and friends, disability infliction in the family, loss of income for family, breadwinners resulting in poverty.

She said road accidents also damage public infrastructure like traffic lights which are knocked done by motorists and it becomes a burden on government as it spends money on maintenance and supply of medication to accident victims.

Road accidents affect the country’s economy, scare investors away and impact negatively on population growth, environmental degradation from oil spillages and scrap medals, he said.

She advised youth to obey traffic rules and change their behavior and attitude.

It was resolved that mobilisation committees be formed in various wards in the Southern district to disseminate information about road safety precautions. They also requested for regular workshops to sensitise other youth.

They said public transport operators should be inspected time and again; road sign boards must be renewed as some are old and trenches along the tarred roads should be covered as they are hazardous to motorists and pedestrians. ENDS