Condition of drivers, not road conditions, causing accidents

The recent mishap involving one of the articulated buses along the Uriah Butler Highway has left the authorities wondering if these buses are suited to our road condi-tions. My trip to Port-of-Spain on that same day has led me to believe that it is not the road conditions which caused the incident but the condition of the people using the roadways. I spent two hours in traffic jams on the way to Port-of-Spain from El Socorro Junction, San Juan, not because of the traffic lights or road conditions but because drivers slowed down to an almost complete stop to stare at the police officers and soldiers conducting a search of the Beetham Gardens area. 

One driver along the Churchill-Roosevelt Highway suddenly pulled in front of me and when I sounded my horn he responded by turning on his four-flashing amber lights. Very few drivers observed the regulations and switched on their indicators when changing lanes. Some refused to allow drivers a chance to change lanes even though they saw a flashing indicator from a long distance.

At Long Circular Mall as I was waiting for another driver to vacate a parking spot, a road hog, in this case a parking hog, attempted to rush past two cars behind me and steal the spot. That I did not allow to happen. What indiscipline and recklessness. The driver of the articulated bus involved in the incident said that a sudden stop by a motorist in front caused her to apply sudden brakes, resulting in the bus veering off the road and splitting in two. I strongly believe that this was the case. 

Then there was a long backup from Grand Bazaar to Munroe Road, although the highway was passable, caused by those who chose to crawl and get as much time as possible near the accident spot. People are not paying attention to the roads and are still talking on cellphones while driving. Mr Minister of Transport, you need to set up a complaints authority to have these miscreants removed from the nation’s roads.

WKS Hosein

Chaguanas