Oh, those killer roads!

This morning’s Times of India had the depressing news of the deaths of five teens on the roads of Delhi. The incidents were separate events having taken place in different parts of the city and the most gut –wrenching story was that of the accident of a brother and sister run over by a speeding bus. The story of the killer roads is a never ending saga and reeks of callousness, blatant flouting of rules regarding safety procedures to be complied with and a couldn’t-care-less attitude on the part of the law makers as well as the law breakers. A masochistic streak while driving high-definition vehicles are commonly prevalent amongst quite a few misguided youth and with alcohol and drugs, the ‘cocktail’ gets to be deadly and dangerous for others to be on the road along with them!
One must concede that the spate of accidents, as in the days of old, has reduced thanks to the centre- dividers on many roads but much more needs to be done. All buses must have speed governors that would prevent the drivers from crossing speed limits and the drivers educated about driving etiquettes so as to enable them to drive with an attitude of empathy towards fellow motorists.
I remember our big moustached driver, Sasi, from whom I’d the privilege to learn the nuances of driving when I was young. He used to tell me that a person’s upbringing could be gauged by the way he or she drove. To honk at pedestrians was boorishness and a big no-no for him and so was driving at night with the hi-beam on! ‘You must drive fully aware of the other driver’s difficulties and avoid giving him a problem from your side’ was his constant refrain. Sasi was a disarmingly simple man who’d not seen the portals of a school beyond IV standard but was a repository of worldly wisdom.
It’s my fervent wish that our countrymen learned to drive more sensibly and with empathy towards other fellow motorists and for the five lives that had been wasted yesterday, my silent prayers that God give their parents/ guardians the strength to bear the tremendous loss.