South Africans are fast to express their shock at the road carnage in South Africa. Do we adjust our driving to be safer or are we merely continuing with the recklessness and lawlessness? It is sometimes worthwhile to note what others see when they drive on our roads having driven on the roads of Europe for a number of years. We would like to share comments emailed to the Arrive Alive website from one such gentleman:
“18 Months ago I came back to RSA after 17 years working in the UK and Europe. I have to say I am shocked at the standards of driving across the board in RSA.
It is routine to speed, talk on cell phones, jump red lights, treat Stop signs as Yields, not wear seat belts, edge into intersections while lights are still red, Undertake on freeways (there is actually no lane discipline at all on freeways), u-turn across multiple lanes, overtake on solid white lines, etc etc.
In fact there is simply flagrant disregard for the entire Highway code in RSA. What I find odd is that most people seem to complain constantly about mini-bus taxis, but they are no better or worse than anyone else!
What is needed here is a complete attitude change and mindset adjustment. Tougher policing of even the most minor offences, and offenders being forced to do community service with the traffic / ambulance / fire departments that have to go and scrape people of the highway due to their disregard of the law.
These people need to be shocked into realising the consequences of there actions.”