Road Safety Weak?

Letter:
I was walking towards office yesterday morning. I could not help but notice the unusually long traffic jam that extended beyond Hospital Dara. I got very curious and ended up making enquiries. A friendly traffic cop informed me that an accident had taken place near Pani House. There is no denying the fact that road accidents have become commonplace in Sikkim. But ironically it was only two days back that I had been greeted with students carrying placards with messages for road safety. Aaah! It is the Road Safety Week I thought to myself! But then why do I get to read about road accidents every other day? Why are people losing their lives to road accidents? The blah blah was going on in my head and I was lost in my thoughts. And by default I was walking on the road and not on the footpath. Old habits refuse to die.
A school girl who was manning the traffic came up to me and said very politely “Eta bada jaaye dinos la’’ and she pointed towards the footpath (I felt irresponsible, useless, hopeless and like the scum of the earth, all at the same time). I immediately obliged and trust me I felt good about doing the right thing! Why did a schoolgirl have to educate me on road safety when I brag about being a responsible and a well informed citizen? Why are we so weak in following safety measures while on the road whether we are pedestrians or vehicle owners or drivers? Small things like using dipper at night or using foot over heard bridges and footpaths can make so much of a difference and make life easier and safer for all of us.
We always blame ‘reckless’ drivers for mishaps. But as pedestrians do we follow the dos and don’ts’ while on the road? Well I feel the answer is a big no! Why do we wait for Road Safety Week to educate us? Why can’t everyday be a Road Safety Day instead of Road Safety Week?
Jashoda Chettri [recvd on email]