Who really need speed limits?

Road Safety was always recognised as a transportation issue falling under the Ministry of Transport and that was universal whether it was the developed, undeveloped or developing countries. In recent times there has been a major shift in thinking where we are no longer talking, about road safety but rather road traffic, injury prevention and  we are dealing with a public health issue and not transportation. At first glance, this concept appeared somewhat difficult to accept but upon closer examination and studying the subject in a holistic way, there is good reason to buy into this new approach if we are to tackle the problem.

This new approach to Road Safety is as a result of the work of WHO and the World Bank in the newly published Report which presented a comprehensive overview of the problem and offered ways to address prevention and lessen the impact of road accidents. In reading this Report, there is compelling evidence that road accidents have now become a public health issue and will become worse especially for low and middle income countries like Trinidad and Tobago unless, of course, there are serious and strategic interventions by the government and civil society. While the findings of the Report do not reflect the experiences in every respect of Trinidad and Tobago, they generally reflect what we already suspect and knew, except that there was no empirical evidence in support.

In today’s world of globalisation, we would do well to study the Report and develop the information and statistics specific to our situation, if only to confirm the worldwide trends. The Report makes depressing reading as the strategies and interventions required by the government do not appear to be forthcoming anytime soon, as solutions have been bandied about for many years from one administration to the next but we are no nearer to implementation. There is really no seriousness in dealing with the issue and all we get are apologies from public officials and that they are working on solutions. That is not what is required in the face of a looming public health issue but action - right or wrong - do something that will demonstrate the resolve to treat with the problem.

The recommendations are not earth-shattering but will serve to focus public officials on the issue. For instance, it was suggested that a lead agency on road safety be identified with the authority and responsibility to make decisions and to co-ordinate efforts of all sections of government among them the police, health, transport and education - properly funded and publicly accountable for its actions. The road safety effort is likely to be greatly enhanced if the political heavyweights champion the national drive.

Certain good practices were suggested as follows:
* Enforcing speed limits.
* Enforcing laws requiring seat belts and the setting of laws in respect of child restraints and other occupants of motor vehicles.
* Setting and enforcing Blood Alcohol Concentration Limits.
* Requiring vehicles be designed for crashworthiness to protect occupants.
* Managing existing road infrastructure to promote safer routes for pedestrians, crash-protective roadsides.
* Strengthening all the links in the ‘chain of help for road crash victims’ i.e. basic training in first aid with specialized training for health professionals in trauma care.
* Enhancing law enforcement programmes with public information and education such as the dangers of drunk driving and excessive speed. Surely, there is nothing new in the recommendations except to emphasise that these have always been seen as relevant in addressing road safety.

In respect to speeding, speed cameras or radar are most popular and the study concluded that there is a 14% reduction in road traffic deaths and serious injuries, whereas enforcement by the police achieved a six percent reduction. It was also confirmed that the presence of radar and cameras increased compliance with speed laws leading to a reduction in the incidence of accidents and injuries substantially. Alcohol consumption increases the probability both that a crash will occur and that death or serious injury will result. In low and middle-income countries, blood alcohol was found to be present in 33-69% of fatally injured drivers and in 8-29% of non-fatally injured drivers.

It was clear that breathalysers proved to be the most effective enforcement tool in the developed countries but their absence was most noticeable in the low income countries. It is interesting to note that technology was being introduced to measure alcohol in drivers where alcohol-ignition interlock systems detect alcohol on the breath of drivers and prevent them from staring their vehicles. Many states in the USA and some provinces in Canada, now have laws requiring the installation of this device in the vehicles of repeat offenders.

Another area that was identified was drivers who break traffic lights. It was recommended that cameras are installed that will take photographs of vehicles going through traffic lights when on red. A recent report indicated that the breaking of traffic lights was most common in Trinidad and Tobago and reflects the indiscipline in the society as offenders are certain that there are no consequences for their indiscretion. With respect to young drivers, the study confirmed that the risk of death or injury was highest in the first year of driving. The graduated driver’s licence was widely viewed as the approach where supervised driving was permitted in the first six months followed by restricted driving for the next 18 months where no driving was allowed from 10 pm to 5 am.

It simply shows that action must be taken as unpopular as they may be if we are to redress the continuing carnage on the country’s roads. It was interesting to note that the study confirmed that pedestrians would rather cross a dangerous road than go out of their way to take pedestrian bridges. There is little new from the study that we did not already know. The problem is to get decisive action to arrest what the researchers view as a looming crisis that will stretch the financial resources of developing countries within the next decade.

E-mail: daquing@cablenett.net