Changing attitudes will lead to safer roads [1]
Tuesday, July 28, 2009 - 19:31. Updated on Tuesday, January 13, 2015 - 22:06.
A National Road Safety Plan for Tonga has to address the attitude of road users, in order to prevent fatal crashes, Commander of the Tonga Police Force Chris Kelley told a National Road Safety Workshop that began in Nuku'alofa today, July 28.
"Enforcement is only part of the answer, education is critical, road engineering has an influence but it's about attitude; a road safety plan has to address the attitude," said the Commander.
The production of a National Road Safety Plan for Tonga is the major objective of the two-day workshop.
Organised by a National Road Safety Committee chaired by the Director of Health Dr Siale 'Akau'ola, the workshop brings together members from various government departments, including the Commander Kelley, the Solicitor General 'Aminiasi Kefu and others from the Ministry of Transport and Ministry of Lands and Survey.
"This workshop is long overdue. We need to care about road safety and most of all we need a road safety plan because each year on our roads, 10 Tongans die in fatal road crashes," stressed Commander Kelley during the opening ceremony held at the Tonga Medical Association building.
He said the National Road Safety workshop could not have come at a more appropriate time with two fatal crashes over the last three weekends, directly linked to excess alcohol, dangerous driving, not wearing seat belts and to speeding.
Changing attitudes
He said that the production of a National Road Safety Plan for Tonga must be a simple plan to address issues and take into account the existing and future challenges.
He added that National Road Safety is not a well known concept here in Tonga "it might be a term that just bureaucrats know, or ministries attach to annual plans or a policing problem hence someone else's problem."
"But until the moment it strikes and affects your family, it is actually about people, families and about saving lives and making our roads safer," he said.
The Commander emphasised that future commitment should involve training, law reform, a road safety bill, seat belt legislation, breathalyser enforcement, blood alcohol testing and vehicle seizures.
Top cause of death
Dr Pratap Jayavanth the World Country Liaison Officer for Tonga in a presentation of an Overview of Road Safety based on a WHO Global Statistics Report on Road Safety, he said road traffic accidents account to one of the top three causes of death for people between the ages of 5 to 44 years old worldwide.
He said key risk factors included excessive speed, drink driving, not wearing helmets, seatbelts and child restraints.
In relation to excessive speed only 29 percent of countries in the world meet the basic criteria for reducing speed in urban areas; while for drink driving 90 percent of countries have a national law; while only 57 percent of countries have the requirement to wear seatbelts in front and rear seats.
He said key recommendations for government should include the enactment of comprehensive laws that require all road users to be protected, consider the needs of all road users when making policy decisions and enforcement accompanied by public awareness and appropriate penalties.
Amongst the many issues discussed is looking at major road safety issues, legislation, enforcement, public transportation, pedestrian crossing facilities and vehicle safety standard.