EDITORIAL: More emphasis needed on seatbelts directive

Back in 2009 the Surface and Marine Transport Authority (Sumatra) directed bus owners to install seatbelts in their vehicles. The directive was initially strictly enforced by Sumatra and the Police Force, but, this being Tanzania, it is now business as usual.

It should be recalled that some bus operators, particularly those owning large fleets, had baulked at the cost of installing seatbelts, while others feared losing money during the time their vehicles were off the road to have the belts installed. There were concerns that bus operators were putting profit before the sanctity of human life. It was a sign of things to come.

While Sumatra’s directive would not have reduced the number of accidents on our roads, it would have gone a long way in saving lives that would otherwise have been lost in accidents involving public service vehicles. Available statistics show that countries in which it is compulsory for buses to have seatbelts have registered a substantial decrease in the number of deaths in road accidents.

It is unfortunate that Sumatra and the Police Force have taken their foot off the gas as far as enforcement of the directive is concerned. The number of deaths from road accidents has remained persistently high at over 3,000 annually in recent years. Hundreds of lives would have been saved if all public service vehicles had seatbelts and passengers were aware of their importance.

There is a need to educate people using public service vehicles on the importance of fastening seatbelts. Ignorance about the life-saving qualities of seatbelts is what makes some people to view them as an inconvenience rather than a necessity. The public should be made to understand that seatbelts are there solely to save lives in accidents.