THE tragic death of a beggar in Empangeni’s main road on Wednesday highlights two important safety issues – regardless of fault still having to be determined in a court of law.
The first is the growing number of presumably homeless people who try to eke out their daily bread by begging at street corners.
Invariably, they chose those intersections that carry the most traffic, as that means more potential donors.
To be as visible as possible and to grab the opportunity while the traffic lights are on red, they stand in the gaps between lanes.
Generally they are not dressed in reflective clothing, and often they continue to solicit handouts even after the sun has set.
It’s only by grace that more of these sad accidents have not occurred, as the potential for tragedy is huge.
A driver changing lanes could easily ride into a beggar, or be forced to swerve and perhaps cause another collision and fatality.
The question must be asked: where are the traffic officials in all this?
Surely they are not blind to the obvious dangers at these intersections?
Or do they turn a blind eye, either because these unfortunate people are not in a position to pay a fine, or because they do not want to deprive them of earning a bit of money?
We notice how many of these street beggars are already disabled, perhaps because of previous accidents?
The second issue is that of the speed at which rescue and medical vehicles travel – not to mention the tow truck and breakdown services brigade.
While some may have had advanced driver training, the reality is that most road users have not, and panic at the sight of flashing lights or the sound of loud sirens.
Adding to this problem is that many, if not most, motorists do not seem to heed the warning of an approaching emergency vehicle.
They continue to hog the fast lane and do not slow down or pull over.
Perhaps this relates to unlicensed, distracted (by thumping car stereos) or improperly trained drivers, who by observation also do not appear to know what to do at traffic circles and four-way stops.
Accidents involving rescue and medical vehicles are relatively common – an area that needs serious attention on the part of authorities.
