ONCE in a while, we see road accidents when we are on our way to a destination or on social media.
No one wants to be involved in a road accident. However, despite all the accidents that have been reported or seen on social media, some are not learning from it.
Those who use the road are surely aware of the rules and safety measures but many still ignore it, which cause accidents and crashes.
The main cause of these road accidents is due to human errors. The most common behavior of humans that results to accidents and crashes are speeding, drunk driving, beating the red light, avoiding safety gears like seat belts and helmet, using mobile phones while driving, and overtaking.
The first and main cause of the fatal accidents is over speeding. A vehicle moving at a high speed will have a greater impact during crashes and will cause more injuries.
Second, alcohol reduces concentration. Consuming alcoholic beverages before driving might turn into misfortune because concentrating is necessary in driving.
Third is beating the red light. It might save fuel and time but it might jeopardize not just the driver’s life but also the safety of others.
Fourth, wearing seat belts and helmet is demanded by the law but has been constantly neglected by some motorists. Studies prove that wearing seat belts and helmet reduce the severity of injury during accidents. I believe we already know why.
Fifth, the use of mobile phones while driving. The division of attention might risk reaction time and ability to judge on the movement of vehicles.
Lastly, seeing a vehicle in front moving so slow is a temptation to overtake. However, overtaking is a serious decision to make and have a series of considerations. You need to check both side of the road, the front and back moving vehicle, before dropping your decision in overtaking.
Knowing and avoiding these unhealthy road practices can lead to lesser road accidents. (Renalou Dimpas, UM intern)