Get the killer off the road

For the offenders of certain identified traffic offences, make it compulsory that they watch an emotionally powerful movie 

I am not an expert on road safety or transport. But I read with much interest the well-researched and thought-out article, “Killer on the road” by Pradeep Jayawardene in the Daily FT of 29 April (https://www.ft.lk/columns/Killer-on-the-road/4-775941-).

It was such a thought-provoking article it inspired me to jot down some possible strategies and actions.

Given below are a few simple strategies I think we can implement without much cost. 

1.For the offenders of certain identified traffic offences, make it compulsory that they watch an emotionally powerful movie.

For certain other offences make it compulsory that they go through a comprehensive test.

2.Modernise the entire driving licence issuing process

3.Promote Defensive Driving at least among professional drivers.

4.Harmonise different laws, regulations that cover all aspects of road safety.

5.Look for macro reasons that contribute to high incidence of accidents.

1.1. Request one of the leading insurance companies or tyre or motor companies to sponsor the production of a highly emotional movie that brings out the need to be responsible when driving and a follow up video on various essential driving best practices.

1.2. Make these films available in EST 

1.3. Arrange with regional movie theatres to screen them once in three months initially.

1.4. The identified offenders will have to watch the movie by paying the ticket price to collect the license. Or face prosecution. 

1.5. The licenses can be released by police officers at the venue after the screening 

1.6. The ticket can cover the cost of the theatre plus some additional service charge to cover the costs of the Government 

1.7. Integrated campaign to promote safe driving – Identify the top five causes for accidents and implement an integrated campaign over a period to reduce the accidents caused by them. Rather than saying driving safely giving specific instructions on safe driving tips as micro learning will be far more effective.

1.8. Invite brands to use road safety promotion a part of their CSR and recognise and reward the better road safety commercials. 

2.1. Develop a comprehensive online test covering all traffic rules, basic mechanical and engineering aspects, safety related practices, road manners, plus skills required for making right judgements. This should be in EST and with animations and audio visual material. This can be done by university students as a project with content from police, health and insurance companies as inputs.

2.2. Once done this can be hosted on a good Learning Management System 

2.3. Sufficient controls can be in built to ensure participant identity.

2.4. The offenders will have to take this test at pre-defined centres. Under the supervision of a police officer or empanelled invigilators on contract basis.

2.5. The test centres can be branches of the Open University, private computer training centres with multiple computers connected online.

2.6. The cost has to be borne by the offenders.

2.7. Those who pass above 85% can be given a certificate (digital) and license released, and the correct answers for the mistakes done by them.

2.8. Those who fail to get 85% will have to repeat the exam. (Can their license be suspended till passed?)

2.9. Going forward this online test can be the basis to assess the knowledge to grant license.

2.10. Modernise driver licence issuing process –

2.10.01. Define and publish the minimum standards needed to run a driver training institute, and over the delivery of training such as contact hours, competency of the trainer and the curriculum that must be covered.

2.10.02. Survey all the registered driver training schools and grade them.

2.10. 03. Increase the number of examiners. 

2.10.04. Hold examiners accountable; i.e. if a driver is involved in an accident within a year the examiner who passed that driver and the test results all should be reviewed.

2.10.05 Bring in simulation-based testing prior to physical testing on roads. So that more scenarios can be tested. Rather than Government investing on simulators this can be done by certified private sector operators. This does not mean on road actual testing can be substituted with simulations. But this will improve skills such as judgement, etc.

3.1. Get a team of retired police driving instructors to develop a comprehensive defensive driving curriculum (DD)

3.2. Make following a course on DD compulsory for all professional drivers

3.3. Test the driving instructors on them and give a certificate to those who pass so there is an incentive for them to be better as instructors.

4. Harmonising legal ecosystem

4.1. There are more than 15-20 different Government agencies who are connected to road safety. Because of that there are divided responsibilities and sometimes counterproductive consequences. A cross departmental team must study them and make required legislative and administrative reforms.

5. Macro reasons

As identified by Pradeep Jayawardene there are economic and such macro reasons that contribute to the negative driver behaviour. Listed below are some quick wins if can be addressed.

5.1. When public passenger transport was opened to private sector ideally competition should have given a better service like in the telecom sector. But reality is far from it. National policy on public transport must take into account the CTB, private busses, unorganised three-wheel taxis, app-based cab services, regular transport providers such as school vans, office vans, and busses provided for factory workers, and railway. Rather than looking at them only from the point of view of the service provider, the system must be built around the consumer. We hardly hear the side of the passenger.

5.2. Why there are separate bus stations for private and CTB busses in main cities and towns when there aren’t separate bus stops on roads? This I feel is one of the main reasons for reckless driving on the roads. 

5.3. Why there aren’t harmonised timetables for private and CTB busses. Ultimately the commuter suffers, and busses compete.

5.4. Individual bus owners cannot provide a quality service and make profits. As a result, they want to profit maximise every single trip. This makes them compromise safety and have extra seats, overload and extend times on certain sections (kota kota yanawa). What if it make mandatory for bus owners to form a public company or a corporative and payments to be made based on the service provided. The cost is not based on the number of passengers but the distance travelled. Unless such a dramatic paradigm shift is made we will not be able to improve the situation.

As mentioned at the outset I am not an expert on the subject. But hope these ideas will stimulate thought and will contribute to the overall discussion on the topic.