Culture of safety, respect needed on roads

THE EDITOR: Following a sad incident involving an 11-year-old boy from Vance River RC School who narrowly missed death after being hit by a car while attempting to cross the street on his way to school, concerns have been raised about the safety of pupils crossing the streets.

The accident highlights the critical need for increased awareness and adherence to traffic safety measures, particularly in school zones.

Despite attempts to increase pedestrian safety, many children continue to experience risks when crossing roads, whether at authorised crosswalks or otherwise. The widespread concern among students about the risk of an accident reflects the continuous issues faced by dangerous driving practices, such as speeding and overtaking, by some motorists, particularly around school zones.

One such area that has been battling with this issue of reckless driving is Cascade, with drivers blatantly disregarding traffic restrictions such as school crosswalks and flashing amber lights, demonstrating a lack of concern or value for human life.

A proactive approach must be adopted to address these safety concerns rather than waiting for tragedies to occur before taking action. This requires not only promoting responsible driving habits but also enforcing existing regulations to ensure compliance.

The focus should not solely be on policing behaviour but rather on fostering a collective commitment to upholding road safety standards for the well-being of all road users, especially vulnerable pedestrians like schoolchildren.

Stakeholders could collaborate to prevent road accidents and tragedies, saving lives and fostering a culture of safety and respect for all on our nation's roads. We shouldn’t be "policed" into doing the right thing.

S BENOIS-SELMAN

Woodbrook