The Bangladesh Road Transport Authority's (BRTA) recent decision to start conducting regular dope tests for bus drivers is certainly not one without merit, as reckless driving related to the substance abuse of bus drivers and large human haulers is one of the biggest factors behind road accidents.
The reckless nature with which our public transport drivers behave has been proven time and again as a pattern of behaviour. Whenever an unfortunate accident occurs on our roads and highways due to the erratic driving of a bus driver, the offender almost always gets away scot-free as it triggers bus companies into effectively shutting down transport on the roads through unjustified agitation.
Year after year, road fatality numbers pile up due to the terrible culture of impunity afforded to not just bus drivers, but owners of bus companies as well. As vehicles ply our roads and highways without any regard for human life, buses are often seen cutting lanes, overtaking from the wrong side, holding up the traffic, or slamming into competing buses.
This situation is entirely unsustainable.
While mandatory dope tests at regular intervals can prove to be incredibly beneficial in rooting out the especially egregious drivers from our roads, the only way to truly prevent fatal road accidents is to fix our public transportation sector from top to bottom -- space needs to be made for dedicated bus lanes on our roads, and bus companies need to be regulated so that discipline on the streets and the safety of passengers are ensured.
It's time to change the unruly state of affairs that prevails on our roads and highways.