MUCH, if not most, of the trauma that occurs over the festive season can be prevented by us, the members of the public.
Yes, the authorities have their part to play: there will be roadblocks and police cordons, extra lifeguards and emergency medical staff, and hopefully more volunteers keeping a watchful eye.
But the ultimate responsibility for the personal safety of ourselves, our families, our homes and our possessions lies with us.
The police cannot be present at every ATM transaction, where we foolishly accept ‘help’ from strangers.
They are not there when we flick the remote button to lock our cars and don’t check the doors to make sure they really are locked, and haven’t been ‘jammed’.
Nor do they have the task of ensuring we don’t leave laptops, cameras and parcels visible on our car seats as an open invitation to car break-ins.
It’s we that leave windows and gates unlocked, forget to check that the burglar alarm is on, and leave the boxes of our newly-bought electronic equipment in the driveway or next to the bin to advertise we have something inside worth stealing.
And who sends children to the shops on their own, or gives ‘older children’ the responsibility of looking after their siblings at crowded shopping malls or – worse still – at the beach or river?
It is also not the traffic officers’ job to ensure our kids are buckled up and not standing on the seats or sitting on the driver’s lap as a crude air bag in the event of an accident.
And they are not there to prevent us from speeding, jumping red robots or getting behind the wheel when we have had a few too many (which, by the way, is not many at all).
Family Care social workers are not accountable for your teen’s presence at licenced premises and parties where drugs and alcohol flow; nor when you give your underage child the car keys.
Paramedics cannot stop you allowing passengers to stand on the back of your overloaded bakkie, or sit with legs dangling over the back.
Nobody but you can ensure you don’t set off flares or discharge fireworks that can cause great damage and costs.
Make sure you spend the festive season around the tree, not at the mortuary.
