Dear Editor,
The recent report in the news that highlighted the increase in injuries caused by road accidents is quite alarming. Given the current accelerated change in the driving culture that is being spurred on by the need for additional income, it is now necessary to make physical changes to the road infrastructure to force a reduction in speeding and increase road use safety. Other countries with a similar cultural dynamic have added speed bumps near schools, at intersections, and an increased presence of police officers at major intersections and those intersections which have frequent accidents. Some of the speed bumps used to take the form of an elevated pedestrian crossing and others are a series of speed bumps leading up to the intersection or the school. In addition, large vehicles are prohibited from using the fast lanes on highways.
Another major concern for road users is the decrease in safety for pedestrians and cyclists along the sides of the roads. Many countries have installed physical barriers that separate walkways, and bicycle paths from the main carriageway. This helps reduce the risk of injury and is the first line of defence against a motor vehicle straying into the path of a pedestrian or cyclist. The aesthetics in Shanghai of these barriers are quite impressive.
CRG recommends that the Ministry of Home Affairs implement these modifications as part of a comprehensive plan to reduce road accidents and change the driving habits within the country. These proposed initial modifications will help contain the problem being faced on the roads, deter future speeding and will eventually lead to a positive change in driving behaviour as motorists learn that slowing down will not only prevent damage to their vehicles and loss of income due to citations, but more importantly it will help prevent the loss of life.