Roads can’t be safe without public cooperation

At this time of year, during the long Songkran holiday, news about road accidents and highway casualties is common, along with announcements of measures to reduce the appalling numbers.
The post-coup government blundered earlier this month in issuing an order under Article 44 of the interim constitution banning people from riding in the cargo bed of pickup trucks. It was supposed to come into effect ahead of Songkran, in a bid to keep people safer on the roads, but the idea backfired, drawing a heated backlash from the public. 
Faced with the rationale that the ban allowed insufficient time for people to prepare for the rule – given that so many routinely ride in the back of pickups and cannot afford public transport – the government postponed the plan until after the long holiday. 
The delay was a victory of sorts for the outspoken citizens who sought to block what was seen as a “dictatorial” order, but it represents a defeat for the many concerned people campaigning for more and better road-safety measures.
Pickup trucks carrying passengers in the back in the open have indeed been involved in countless road accidents. All it takes is for the driver to lose control on a curve – easy enough with all that shifting weight behind him – and the passengers are spilled out to their injury or death. A collision with another vehicle will have the same effect. Open cargo beds were not designed to carry people. It cannot be done safely.
The argument that the government’s urgent measure did not give people time to prepare is reasonable to some extent. The underlying problem, however, stems from the public’s worrying lack of awareness about road safety. Far too many people shun safety precautions and are heedless of the risks they’re facing. 
Taking every precaution to stay safe on the roads (and in any aspect of daily life) should be a matter of common sense. Don’t speed, don’t drive recklessly or drunk, wear a seatbelt or, if riding a motorcycle, a crash helmet. If riding in the open in the back of a pickup is absolutely necessary, keep off the side rails and tailgate. 
People shouldn’t need the authorities to remind or force them to adopt safe practices for their own sake or because it’s the law. In reality, though, many of our fellow citizens are oblivious to the dangers. In some cases it might be a matter of sticking to old habits that have yet to cause serious harm, but that’s worse than “tempting fate”. It’s putting at risk both them and other people – their passengers or other road users – and the consequences are often terrible.
Fear of being fined or jailed for breaking the laws intended to uphold public safety should not be the overriding motivation for doing so. Mitigating accident risk is an important responsibility that every driver and passenger shares in, and we should do all we can, conscientiously, to ensure that everyone stays safe. The need for care on the road has to be instilled in citizens starting from a young age so that safety precautions become ingrained and are adhered to automatically.
Importantly, strict enforcement of the laws of the road would convince many more people to obey them. Getting pulled over by traffic police can be an education in what’s allowed and what’s tolerated. A good start would be persuading motorcycle riders and passengers to wear helmets. Police should be keeping motorbikes off sidewalks and stop them driving against the traffic flow – and in this endeavour the cops could be busting their fellow officers too, among the worst offenders.