Open Letter: Install Sufficient Pedestrians’ Crossing Traffic Signs and Speed Control Barriers to Reduce Accidents in Juba
Fig:1. Some of the road traffic signs.
Open Letter to the Ministry of Roads and Bridges, Republic of South Sudan: Install Sufficient Pedestrians’ Crossing Traffic Signs and Speed Control Barriers to Reduce Accidents in Juba
By Noble Leek Goi, Jonglei State, South Sudan
Wednesday, September 7, 2022 (PW) — Insufficient use of road traffic signs or neglecting them can be very dangerous. Road traffic signs are very important because they provide valuable information to drivers and other road users. They represent rules that are in place to keep you safe and help to communicate messages to drivers and pedestrians that can maintain order and reduce accidents.
Most signs make use of pictures rather than words so that they are easy to understand and can be interpreted by people who speak a variety of languages. These road signs help traffic wardens to easily control and regulate or enforce the law relating to road traffic under the direction of the police on drivers in case of any violation.
As a matter of concern, in Juba city and its outskirts, there are insufficient road traffic signs being used in comparison with the available road networks. There is a dire need for sufficient road signs to be installed on the roads, especially those that lead to public institutions like schools and hospitals and those with high traffic density during peak hours.
I have witnessed how school children and other pedestrians suffer every morning and evening trying to forcefully cross the roads without any road signs that direct drivers to give way. During rush hours, it is always hard for drivers to give way willingly to pedestrians without any road signs.
Out of frustration and impatience of waiting with no driver giving way, some pedestrians (school children inclusive) have lost their lives trying to cross in high-speed traffic.
For life-saving, it is very important for the ministry of roads and bridges to install enough road traffic signs through their sub-contractors to guide both drivers and pedestrians on road usage. With road traffic signs in place, it is easy to know who is right between a driver and a pedestrian in the event of an accident.
Furthermore, it is equally important for parents to escort their children (2 to 7 years old) whenever they are going to school and cross them to the other side of the road where the school is and vice versa, instead of leaving them to cross by themselves. Parents should also teach their children about the road signs alongside learning them from school.
Even if your children aren’t old enough to drive just yet, it’s important that they know how to recognize and interpret the traffic signs around them. Children learn how to behave on the roads from their parents. The better we adhere to traffic signs, and the more carefully we drive, the more likely our children are to become safe and responsible drivers as adults.
Many signs apply not only to drivers but to pedestrians too, and children who are able to read these signs correctly are more likely to stay safe as they walk along and crossroads within Juba. Teach your children what STOP and PEDESTRIAN CROSSING signs look like, as well as any signs that are found near their schools and playgrounds.
Pedestrians also need to know that, just because these signs are in place, it doesn’t mean they can walk across a road without looking. They must respect cars and other vehicles and must always look left and right before crossing.
Install more pedestrian crossing signs and speed-reducing barriers on roads to safe life.
The author, Noble Leek Goi, is a Civil Engineer and Opinion Writer who can be reached via his E-mail: nobleleekgoi@gmail.com.
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