Don’t get killed while driving
Authorities need to step up to educate
drivers on road safety and the importance of patience on the road.
• By
Ramesh Menon
• Gulf News Published:
13:23 August 2, 2014
The other day, as I was dropping my son to
the airport amidst the afternoon traffic, we witnessed a young man riding a
sports bike at a furious pace, cutting across traffic lanes. Suddenly, the car
ahead of him stopped, and the young man was left with no option than to hit the
car. We watched as he toppled at least three times above and on top of the car
ahead and fell down. There he lay motionless and we were speechless.
Turns out, there was an accident that
happened further down the road and that was the reason for the traffic and a
police patrol was already on their way to assist.
The accident that we witnessed will remain
in my memory for a very long time, as it felt so unreal, like it was a movie.
Furthermore, for me as a person, bikes on
UAE roads are always scary as they are not meant to be safe while driven on
these roads.
Memories of two incidents that happened a
few years ago keep on coming to my mind and is the reason for my aggressive
campaigning for road safety.
First is the death of my brother-in-law in
a bike accident in 2001 by a tractor driver in Bengaluru, India.
Second is more
serious as it involved a whole family, including my mathematics teacher from
school. They died as their car was hit by a speeding car and causing the entire
family to burn to death as they travelled from Abu Dhabi to Dubai.
While the fate of the young man involved in
the accident that happened the other day is not known to me, I definitely know
that it was an incident that could easily have been avoided.
There is a strong need for patience and
this needs to be educated to our young drivers by the authorities. Especially
bike riders and those who have just got their driving license.
You don’t put a full stop to your life in
thsi manner. Safety is of utmost importance, therefore we should be alert and
cautious at all times.
To read it in original, please visit Gulf News online.
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