It boggles my mind that citizens would suggest that increasing the driving age is the solution to preventing road fatalities. This is a clear illustration of how unaware we are to safety rules and regulations. A road accident is not caused by how old someone is but rather carelessness and a disobedient attitude to road safety.
This past week we had absolute carnage. There were six individuals who perished within eight hours on our roadways. The reasons for their deaths were caused by reckless driving, wet roads and partying. To think that one person had brought his vehicle under control, only to be knocked over while waiting for assistance, is indeed horrific. However, the most inhumane part of this story was that the driver sped off. Where is our sense of responsibility?
Every human life carries a certain value. I will like to assume that everyone gets off their beds every morning with the intention of making T&T a better place. All of us have a purpose and losing our lives to a preventable cause of death is shameful.
Health and Safety is often laughed at as a profession. It is deemed useless and a waste of time. How many of us had to endure a 30-minute safety briefing when you started working in an organisation? What is the point of these briefings, in addition to learning about the laws of the country, if we do not take them seriously?We banter about the legal driving age assuming that young people are irresponsible and that they are the only ones who break the traffic rules and drive recklessly.
I fully agree with the Minister of Works and Infrastructure who stated that drivers have a carefree attitude to the laws of T&T.
Shahad Q Ali,
via e-mail