• It pays better to be courteous and mindful of others by dimming your headlights
• Exhibit more patience and obey the traffic rules in place
Image: HILTON OTENYO
Overall, a resolution for every car owner should be to become a better driver in 2022. It is sad that 4,579 people lost their lives in various road carnages between January and November last year.
At the time of writing this piece, eight people had lost their lives in Webuye after the matatu they were travelling in crashed into a stationary truck.
As we commence the year, may it be our heartfelt resolve to play our part in enhancing road safety and preventing the unnecessary loss of lives and injuries.
Here are some of the resolutions that can help us remain on the right route as far as road safety is concerned.
- 1. Courteous driving
Someone on social media complained of the tendency of many drivers to drive at night with their headlights on full blast.
The situation has been worsened by the fact that many cars are fitted with LED lights, which are more powerful than the normal ones.
Now, imagine an oncoming car with LED lights on, obscuring the view of other motorists from the opposite direction.
It is better to be courteous and mindful of others by dimming your headlights to allow them a clear view of what is ahead.
- 2. Obey traffic rules
Obedience and Kenyan motorists are an odd couple, where traffic rules are concerned.
Some of the most common traffic violations you may have seen on Kenyan roads include overlapping, driving on the wrong side and overspeeding.
Understandably, the perennial traffic jam can be a pain in the neck, hence the temptation to employ unconventional manoeuvres to get to our destinations fast.
A word of advice, though, is to exhibit more patience and obey the traffic rules in place. It is not only a favour to the system but also for your own safety.
- 3. Avoid unnecessary road trips
Owning a car is a convenience that allows you to reach places you could never step on 'footsubishi'. For others, a car equates fun road trips to the likes of Vasha and Nyali.
Not to rain on your parade but most such drives have the connotations of wooing someone's daughter for amorous fun. Fuel prices keep rising and it would be in your best interest to use your car for meaningful trips that add value to your life.
- 4. No drunk driving
No, the car does not know its way home. Its efficient functionality depends on how you operate it, and you are doomed if not in your right mental faculties.
Therefore, alcohol and driving should be a no-no in 2022, or else your folks might be reading your eulogy.
Furthermore, there is the risk of falling afoul of the law with the possible reintroduction of the breathalyser, famously known as Alcoblow.