Representative imageI read with lot of sadness about the incident in which seven people returning with their family member who came from abroad died when their jeep fell into a body of water.
Before this there had been another incident in which children of a woman going abroad and their relatives had died when they fell into a river while returning from the airport.
The two incidents are similar in some ways. The accidents happened early morning at places that were more than two hours away from the airport. In both cases there was only one overseas traveller.
All others went to either see off or receive a person. Does the society have anything to learn from this?
The first thing we are taught to avoid road accidents is 'not to start a journey'. It might look a bit childish. But before starting each journey, one should ask oneself whether the journey is needed, and if so at that time and in that vehicle. How many people should go to receive a person at the airport? Even if the chances of accident do not rise as per the increasing number of people, its density is rising.
I have been to at least 100 airports in the world. Unlike in Kerala, nowhere do thousands of people throng to send off or receive people even at three in the morning. Among them are old people and even babies. Can’t people who did not see their relatives for a year wait for one or two hours?
The second lesson is on night journey. Generally accidents are more probable at night. There are many reasons for that, the most important being the probability of a driver dozing off. Most drivers who go to the airport might have worked the whole day. By the time they reach the airport and start the journey after one or two hours, drivers must not have slept for 15 or more hours. Drivers must make it a habit to check their vehicles and rest comfortably before a long journey or a night trip.
The third problem is the lack of experience of drivers. Many people who drive to Nedumbassery from faraway places might not know the route. The same problem is faced by people who go from lowlands to high range. Our roads seldom have proper markings that can be trusted. Driving a vehicle at night on unfamiliar roads without rest is akin to inviting trouble.
Whether it is day or night, stopping the vehicle after three hours and taking rest for at least 15 minutes must become part of our good driving habits. Our roadsides are rich with eateries and other vendors at night. Stopping at such places and spending half an hour there is not only enjoyable but also safe.
The last suggestion is about drivers’ drinking habits.
This does not mean that liquor was a factor in the aforementioned accidents. But whether the journey is long or short, or at night or day, drunken driving is suicidal. The driver should never be served liquor to make him happy. Also, you should not board the vehicle driven by a drunk driver, even if that person is a family member.
(The writer is the head of disaster risk reduction division of the UN Environment Programme)
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