Authorities must tighten traffic laws

 AT long last, someone in authority is taking the chaos on Port Moresby’s roads and streets seriously.

Police operations chief Act­ing Deputy Commissioner Jim Andrews wants proper road signs erected throughout the capital city before the start of the 2015 Pacific Games.

Traffic road signs in the city are virtually non-existent and that, Andrews says, has resulted in many accidents, congestion and in­fringements, which are intolerable to law-abiding citizens, road-users and motorists.

We agree that motorists are defying traffic regulations by driving over the median that divides city roads and the Poreporena Freeway. “In some cases, PMV buses are making dangerous U-turns in places where they are not supposed to be turning and vehicles are being parked at unauthorised locations or even on the pavements in public venues, which is wrong.”

Moreover, these culprits are breaking just about every rule in the traffic book.

We have stressed previously that the illegal and dangerous practice of motorists running red lights at traffic light intersections has become rampant in Port Moresby.

The main culprits used to be reckless PMV drivers who have now been joined by other senseless motorists who realise there is nothing to stop them from running red lights and breaking other traffic rules.

There is no police presence at traffic light locations and there are no police cameras to detect them. As far as these “cowboys” are concerned, they own the city roads and nobody can stop them and their dangerous habits.

Traffic lights were invented to control the flow of traffic and pedestrians to improve safety and access to roads in towns and cities.

Sensible motorists drive at speeds that give them time to react if the traffic lights change.

In other countries such as Australia, road safety is of paramount importance and the infringement of traffic laws, including traffic light regulations, draws heavy penalties.

For example, in Australia if you disobey a red or yellow traffic light, you may receive an infringement notice from the police. If you disobey a red traffic light, you may be sent a camera detected offence notice. 

You can face up to 12 months suspension from driving on the first offence and if caught a second time you are likely to lose your driver’s licence.

That does not happen in Papua New Guinea, especially in NCD, because we don’t take road safety seriously. 

It seems the relevant authorities don’t really care about road safety and the risks that are posed by reckless drivers.

With the influx of vehicles into the capital city over the past few years, traffic jams have become a way of life for motorists with long queues at traffic light intersections that can test a driver’s patience and understanding.

Those drivers who constantly run red lights because they believe nothing can stop them will sooner or later face the reality of a nasty accident. They can count themselves lucky if they survive.

These are the culprits who must be stopped before they injure or kill themselves and innocent road users.

Road safety and the adherence of traffic laws must become a top priority for the police and other relevant government agencies.

It is imperative that spot cameras are installed with police presence at traffic light intersections to detect and apprehend offenders.

It is a matter of life and death that these measures are implemented immediately. As well, the introduction of alcohol breath-testing for drivers must not be further delayed. 

The NCD is full of drunken drivers who think they are the kings of the road when they are intoxicated. They too must be halted in their tracks as they are a menace to our society.

There is another group of reckless drivers who apparently cannot be reined in because of the lack of laws that govern the use of mobile phones while driving a motor vehicle.

Despite much external research that shows that mobile phones distract motorists, PNG has yet to come up with specific laws that stop motorists from using their handsets while driving.

It is a risky and dangerous practice that must not be condoned by the relevant government authorities.