Forum: Lifelong driver education a better approach to road safety
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I refer to the article “Traffic deaths, injuries hit five-year high; increase in fatal accidents linked to speeding” (Feb 21) and the Traffic Police’s intention to do their part by increasing fines and demerit points, and ramping up enforcement efforts.
Increasing penalties and intensifying enforcement actions will not result in safer drivers on our roads. Drivers do not learn how to drive safely from this kind of “hard approach”, as demonstrated by the repeat offenders in reported traffic-related cases.
A “hard approach” will also force drivers to drive in a way just to avoid being caught and punished. What happens when they think nobody is watching and they can get away with it?
The Traffic Police and their traffic enforcement cameras cannot be omnipresent to keep road users safe all the time. Only risk-aware drivers exercising self-discipline, motivated by safety and not fear of punishments can.
To truly grow our road safety culture, we will also need a “soft approach” in the form of lifelong driver education and training. Besides strengthening drivers’ defensive driving knowledge and skills, it will also reinforce a road safety mindset.
Darion Lim
