By Pierre Scharneck (Operations Director, Onelogix United Bulk)
We believe the way to stop the carnage on our roads is simple: Enforce corruption-free, visible policing on all major routes. To ensure that the elements responsible for the carnage are kept off the roads, the following should be done:
Have forced stops on all national roads with no alternative route so that drivers, passengers and vehicles are thoroughly checked out.
- Coverage. Cover as wide a webmof roads as possible – obviously all major routes as well as secondary routes.
- Impound all unroadworthy vehicles. All of them, even if it belongs to a major haulier. Name and shame. A managing director or CEO will see his company’s name in lights only once and the problem will be solved. Even in the case of a smooth tyre, it should be impounded, until corrected and then slapped with a hefty fine.
- Get a National Data Base in place that identifies drivers and contractors alike, as envisaged with AARTO, and act accordingly. But implement it. The data base as mentioned will also be instrumental in getting rid of the specific drivers who are part of the problem.
- Drunk drivers must also be dealt with harshly and drivers’ licenses must be withheld for longer periods from these offenders.
- Transport companies should monitor driver fatigue closely by means of an on-board computer and make enough time for drivers to rest.
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