Stop calling it an accident
WELTEVREDEN PARK – Concerned resident writes that an accident can not be defined as an accident when drivers do not comply with road rules.
Fed-up of Weltevredenpark writes:
I agree with the sentiments re our roads being ‘Death traps’, as expressed in the editor’s column dated [Roodepoort Northsider week ending 6 February 2015].
Except for one thing.
Let’s stop calling these things ‘accidents’.
The Concise Oxford Dictionary defines an accident as an ‘event that is without apparent cause or unexpected’.
If people consistently ignore the rules of the road, drive in the wrong lane, fail to indicate, ignore traffic lights and stop streets, rudely push their way into lanes where there are no gaps, talk or text on cellphones (or eat or drink or put on make-up or read a magazine) while they’re supposed to be watching the roads, and generally drive as if they are Mommy’s special little babies who have more rights than the rest of us – then I’m sure we can all agree that when the inevitable ‘accident’ happens, and people die, there was a very specific cause, and the incident was definitely expected.
The only uncertainty is the timing.
But sooner or later, this kind of uncontrolled – and unnecessary – behaviour will result in property damage and/or death.
