The government’s plan to install an advanced traffic management system on the Padma Bridge and Dhaka-Mawa-Bhanga Expressway to curb frequent road crashes should be observed with cautious optimism. It is definitely encouraging to see the government taking steps to curb road crashes on such a busy infrastructural apparatus, but we must remember that we are only in the planning phase of such a plan.
While digitization and newer technology has transformed Bangladesh, there have been plenty of avenues where a new initiative does not necessarily yield desired results. Most of the traffic light systems in the country for example have failed to stop the plague that is traffic jams or road accidents, and it becomes clear that planning the installation of such an advanced toolset is not enough. We have to emphasize the execution as well.
Of course, this is a very long-term goal, and retributive justice systems such as the one delineated by the government are certainly a stepping stone in that direction. If the system works, it would be wise to adopt them for the rest of the roads and highways as well.
Road accidents have become a part and parcel of Bangladeshi life. Even the venerable Padma Bridge project saw two deaths due to a motorcycle accident on the night of its opening to the public.
The advanced traffic management system is set to use CCTV cameras and speed guns to observe the inconsistency of speeds of vehicles, and the authorities have confirmed that immediate actions will be taken whenever there are inconsistencies. However, we still have to make sure that this plan is executed properly.
This is also a retributive system when the punishment will be doled out after the crime has been already committed, whereas when it comes to saving lives and stopping the accidents happening in the first place, we need to change the mentality of the people and build up the people in a way that they actually take the conformation to traffic laws as one of their duties.
The long-term goal must be changing the mentality of the people. If people continue to drive recklessly and show a continued disregard for the safety and security of their fellow men, we can never get rid of traffic accidents. Even if we implement the most efficient justice system imaginable, we will only be able to bring perpetrators to the books, and there will still be some accidents that we will fail to stop.
We have spilled enough blood on our roads. Let this be the beginning of a new era.
