Life is strange when we look at each day passing by like a flash. At times, when I am sitting at the right side of my car, I look at the passing vehicles and buildings as they pass behind quickly.
It reminds me of my school days, when I sit on the side of the bus and look at the trees and riverside scenes that we pass by on our way to home. At times, some incidents remain in our life forever. We then get to take those actions which lead to it in a serious manner and try and see it never gets repeated to us and to others we know.
Traffic accidents are one such thing, which I take seriously.
It is due to the loss of an entire family of my mathematics teacher from school on way back from Abu Dhabi. They were driving back to Dubai a few years ago and her daughter-in-law was at the wheels of their brand new jeep. The car was full of passengers - she, her son, her daughter, and daughter in law and a close relative.
It had its two petrol tanks full too. The road work for the modern Abu Dhabi was beginning and the roads at Umm Al Nar were zig zag. Someone tried to rush through the traffic in between their cars and hit them from behind very fast. Their jeep hit the road dividers and caught fire.
The doors got jammed. All of them were stuck inside, and within minutes it was a huge ball of fire around. The tragedy was huge and everlasting.
It was followed by another incident in which my close relative was killed when his vehicle was hit by a speeding truck.
These impacts created an unknown urge in me to start campaigning for road safety. I have done my best effort to create awareness at every possible opportunity. But I feel it is not enough. A drive down through Sheikh Zayed Road of Dubai and Abu Dhabi Street in the recent days, I found many drivers using mobiles and texting on their phones.
This is a serious danger for the driver and for those on the road at the same with him. Companies and organisations should alert their staff not to use mobile while driving.
Police and traffic authorities are helpless if we do not abide the rules of the road. Let us not create accidents due to our negligence.
Ramesh Menon
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