Editorial
Reckless jaywalking
Awareness campaign key
Reckless driving and bad roads have been identified as the prime culprits behind road accidents that maim and kill people. The number of road accidents have been on a continuous rise despite public outrage and apparent government efforts to reduce them. But we can no longer ignore the fact that jaywalking has a big role in some of these accidents. With the growing number of footbridges and underpasses in the city, it is difficult to understand why people continue to risk their lives and break the law as well, by crossing busy roads and highways. Even the barbed wire on the dividers have not dissuaded these jaywalkers who unabashedly break the barriers and cross to the other side giving very little warning sometimes, to the vehicle driving past. The risk of losing one's life and limb is always very high when crossing such roads but pedestrians continue to do it in a cavalier manner.
We have heard that jaywalking has been prohibited by law and is a finable offence. But obviously law enforcers are very lax about enforcing such a rule that could save so many lives.
As for most jaywalkers, they are lazy and tend to take short cuts whenever they can. They do not want to take that extra effort to walk through the underpass or over the footbridge because it may mean a few extra minutes more. This attitude has to change and it is only possible through greater public awareness through different media. School children especially should be instructed on safe crossing of roads and encouraged to use the footbridge or underpasses whenever they can. More zebra crossings are needed with traffic police helping children, the disabled and elderly especially to cross. Traffic police should be on alert and prevent people from reckless road crossing. A few hefty fines may do the trick.
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