Driving isn’t Rocket Science

Driving isn’t Rocket Science

By: Raneem Abdullah Kolakkaden

“Well, it’s not rocket science” my cousin replied when I asked him how it felt to finally drive. I was at odds with his statement. Being an Engineering aspirant, I have always been at awe with cars, maybe even a bit scared out of respect and driving has always been something I’ve taken with trepidation. Nevertheless, in today’s world driving has become a modern necessity with an estimated 1.6 billion cars on the road all over the world. Over the years, car manufacturers have simplified the process of driving. Seated on your leather throne, with just the push of a button and shift of gear, you’re cruising at 60 miles an hour. However, the conventionality and ease of use do not take away the need for responsibility while driving or change the fact that the bucket of metal we commute in is capable of death. 

Especially where I live, in the Middle East, driving has become a major cause of death and injury. Though, it wouldn’t be fair to say that these countries haven’t come a long way in improving safety measures on the road. My country of residence, Qatar for example, reported that from 2000-2006 the mean traffic injury death rate per 100,000 population was 19.9, compared to western Europe and the US where it was between 5 to 10. Several factors are responsible for this figure: increased number of motor vehicles per 1000 people, vehicles that don’t meet international safety standards, cheaper oil prices, poor infrastructure for public transportation, rapid modernization that didn’t foster a culture surrounding the safe use of vehicles and, people’s reluctance to adhere to traffic laws. Despite this, in the subsequent years, the country has implemented a series of strict traffic control measures along with awareness programs: the National Road Safety Strategy (NRSS 2013-2022) under which every road, intersection and traffic light was kept under surveillance and fines for traffic violations were greatly increased. ‘One Second’, a governmental safety brand launched in December 2013, aims to develop awareness and understanding about positive road safety behaviors in students aged 12 to 18. It involves school visits, where interactive presentations, state-of-the-art simulators, and experienced instructors are used to engage with students. As a result of all these measures, the country has been able to decrease the mean traffic injury death rate per 100,000 population to 9. 

From the above example, it’s clear that safety on roads isn’t a one-directional problem. It requires attention from diverse fields of society in order to be combated. Public health officials, educators, road traffic designers, legislators, and law enforcement must jointly implement efficient steps to making roads safer. Most of all, people behind the wheel need to take the initiative to educate themselves and become better responsible drivers. After all, much like my cousin said, driving might not be rocket science but, if we drove with the same precision and care that astronauts launch their rockets, our roads would be a safer place.