Preventing road accidents
Grahame Mcleod | Monday May 1, 2023 06:00
How true that is! At the time, the Ministry of Transport launched a road safety campaign to sensitise the public about road safety issues. Also, the Motor Vehicle Accident (MVA) Fund joined forces with other stakeholders at the Tropic of Capricorn to do the same.
And the Shakawe Road Safety Committee and pastors held a roadside mass prayer in preparation for the Easter Holidays. Travelling from Francistown to Tonota on the Thursday immediately before the Easter Holidays, we saw a horrific accident which was attended to by four ambulances. And well-known gospel music artist, Mmereki Marakakgoro, died on the road in the early hours of Easter Saturday near Palapye.
In fact, the Easter Holiday statistics revealed an increase in both the number of fatal road accidents and traffic violations which may indicate that an increase in the latter may lead to more deaths on our roads. So, we can never overestimate the importance of preventing road accidents; after all, some 95 percent of such accidents are caused by human beings – very few are due to mechanical failure. In this series of four articles, we shall focus on some ways in which we can prevent accidents on our roads.
This week we shall discuss how the weather can contribute to road accidents. Now, one may ask, how is this possible since we live in a dry climate where clear skies, sunshine and drought are very much the norm? And we have no tornadoes, hurricanes, snow and ice to contend with! But Botswana is a land of extreme weather events which are now more likely to become a feature of our climate, thanks to climate change. In years of good rains, the rain may fall in short heavy intense showers with falls of more than 50 mm by no means uncommon. In a matter of minutes, bone dry roads can turn into fast flowing rivers and, if the road surface is uneven, deep puddles and even lakes may form.
And one may be forgiven for thinking that one’s car has turned into a boat since it will produce waves as it moves through the water. But under such conditions, motorists may still continue to drive normally as if there was no water on the road. But flooded roads pose dangers to motorists. The main danger here is aquaplaning whereby vehicles slide out of control, skid, and so may collide with other vehicles. This is because vehicle tyres cannot firmly grip the flooded road surface and it takes longer to stop a vehicle when roads are wet.
And slamming on the brakes increases the risk of a vehicle aquaplaning. Drivers may also feel that the steering is very light in which case they should ease off the accelerator. Thunderstorms are, unfortunately, most common in the late afternoon and so often coincide with the rush hour in Gaborone when motorists are in a hurry to get back home! To minimise such accidents, there needs to be better drainage of excess rainwater from our roads. This can be achieved in two ways. Firstly, roads should not be flat, but should be cambered.
A camber is a gradual slope down from the middle of the road to each edge. This will help rainwater to flow off the road more rapidly. Secondly, deep storm drains should be constructed along the sides of the road; these may then collect the water that runs off the road. Recently, Gaborone City Council clerk, Lebuile Israel, conceded that Gaborone experiences serious challenges of flooding along public roads in the city. He said that when it rains, water flows into the Segoditshane river which is consistently filled with garbage, trees and reeds which block and disrupt the flow of water hence causing floods. He also said that with increased construction activity in the city, many contractors have the habit of leaving behind sand and other building materials which, during storms, are washed into storm drains and so block them. However, the clerk also said that plans are now underway to help curb illegal dumping of waste in the city. Rain makes it more difficult to see and other motorists may find it harder to see you too. During a storm, visibility is drastically reduced and so, at such times, motorists should switch on their headlights.
And, on occasions, the windscreen wipers may battle with removing water from the windscreen. Moreover, the windscreen inside the vehicle may mist up further reducing the ability of the motorist to see clearly the road ahead of him. So, keep your windscreen clean at all times and reduce your speed. Also ensure that your demister is working.
In wet weather, passing vehicles and those in front may send up spray from their tyres which can further reduce your vision. In such conditions, also keep well back from vehicles in front; it takes longer to stop in wet weather. If the rain is very heavy, motorists should stop and wait out the storm before continuing on their journey. And, where possible, motorists should avoid flooded roads and choose an alternative route even if it is longer. However, your journey time may be lengthened, but that is a small price to pay for avoiding an accident! Heavy downpours may also cause water levels in rivers to rise rapidly without warning. And motorists should also be aware that water levels may rise for several hours after the rain has stopped.
This is because it takes much time for water to run off the land surface into small streams, or tributaries, which then finally discharge their waters into a main river. Rivers then quickly turn into raging torrents of water which race at high speed downstream. In exceptional circumstances, a river may flow over a bridge. If this happens, do not drive across the bridge. If you do, then your vehicle may flip over, or worse still, be washed away never to be seen again! If such rivers can uproot whole trees and carry them several kilometres downstream, then what chance has a small car of surviving? And you may pay the ultimate price for your mistake – you may also be drowned.
It’s almost impossible to get out of a vehicle that has fallen into a river – the force of the moving water will prevent you from opening the door. So, never underestimate the power of a raging river! In Tonota, the road between the village and the Shashe Brigades crosses the Shashe river by means of a low bridge. Since this river has a large catchment area, it can flood easily and pass over the bridge here. When this happens, the police will close the bridge to both pedestrians and vehicles alike. Vehicles will now have to wait for the floodwaters to subside; however, this may take only an hour or so. Rather wait than be another statistic! Another weather hazard is mist or fog.
This occurs most often early on winter mornings, especially along major rivers such as the Tati, Shashe and Motloutse. In such conditions, visibility may be reduced to less than 50 metres. Therefore, drivers should slow down and switch on their dipped headlights – avoid using full beam headlights since they reflect off the fog and so make it harder to see. And heat can also be a problem for motorists! During heat waves, motorists should begin a long journey very early in the morning to avoid the midday heat.
High temperatures can cause motorists to become tired easily and to lose concentration on the road. So, they should stop regularly for rest. And they should ensure that the vehicle is well ventilated by opening the windows or switching on the airconditioning. Also, high temperatures may cause the road surface to become soft.
Motorists should then reduce speed since the vehicle tyres grip the road less well in such conditions. Botswana is one of the sunniest places on the planet. Bright sunshine can dazzle drivers, especially in the late afternoon and early morning when the sun is low in the sky. This means that it will be more difficult to see the road in front.
To reduce the problem reduce speed, wear tinted glasses or put your windscreen visor down to cover the upper part of the windscreen. When driving with the sun setting behind you, oncoming drivers may find it harder to see you. Therefore, switch on your dipped headlights to make your vehicle more visible to them.
In Botswana, we rarely experience high winds. But windy conditions may occur immediately before a thunderstorm. So, reduce speed and grab the steering wheel firmly with both hands; in so doing, you will be better able to look out for fallen branches, or even trees, which may have fallen and blocked the road ahead of you.
And towards the end of the dry season, dust devils, or ditsuatsue, may appear suddenly. In a dust devil, the air rotates at high speed raising leaves and dust into the air. So, close vehicle windows to prevent dust from getting inside and reducing your visibility. Also, look out for cyclists and motorcyclists who could be blown in front of you by sudden strong gusts of wind.