Our Responsibility

In Bangladesh, driving rules are seldomly adhered to causing injuries to pedestrians to be the most prominent accident type and almost 45% of pedestrians are involved in fatal accidents. Most drivers lack the proper driving education required and so they often jeopardize the safety of others for their own self-interest. 

As I sat on the first row of passenger seats behind the bus driver, there was an enormous clash on the other side of the bus. I was shaken. The windows had shattered with pieces dangling on. The bus driver began to shout out curses. Another bus had deliberately hit our bus to slow us down. Luckily there were no passengers on the seats which had broken windows but even if there were ones, I do not think the other bus’s driver would have thought twice before hitting us. Such was the usual scene for public buses as these drivers had to race against each other to certain bus stops in order to gain commissions. Everyone was scared in our bus. The encouragement of our bus conductor to catch up to the hit and run bus to strike them back was not helping any of our morals. 

Drivers need to learn the best course of action in these situations and not give into their own emotions. Driver education not only allows drivers to learn the basic protocols to be done while driving but also why these protocols are so important. If we were to learn both what to do and why to do them, we can be better prepared in situations where we have to make life staking decisions in a few seconds.

 When driving a vehicle on the road, one has to actively remind oneself that they are sharing the road with others and that their personal gains are not the only thing that is on the table. One has to follow rules and signs even when there is a chance to get away by breaking them as innocent lives are at stake. By regularly familiarizing with rules and the meaning of signs we can ensure that we are aware of our surroundings. Removing habits like texting while driving and ensuring that we are in the proper head space before getting on the driver’s seat can go a long way in making us and others safe. Simple acts like looking out of our window for children playing in our driveway even when we are in a rush, can truly save lives.

Our driving behavior can create a butterfly effect. We should never tailgate other vehicles or constantly try to overtake others suddenly or too swiftly. This way we can ensure other drivers also have smooth driving experiences on the road and follow our example. Additionally, we can actively schedule our appointment and work arriving times so that we may leave our homes early with proper commuting time in our hands. This saves us from being in a hurry and capable of making calm and rational decisions on the road.