Extending common road courtesies is not a new concept but we are left to wonder if certain considerate practices are still observed by road users in this day and age where accident reports increase rapidly. Some courtesies may be seen as guidelines that are practised at the discretion of users while others are stipulated by law. Road signs, traffic lights and pedestrian crossings are some of the visible and identifiable safety measures used to promote road etiquette. Simone Foote, Marketing Manager at British Caribbean Insurance Company (BCIC) describes road courtesy as “being patient and mindful of other drivers and pedestrians by giving the appropriate road signals; observing the requirements for the distance between you and the vehicle in front (no tailgating); being courteous to pedestrians by stopping to allow them to cross when standing at the pedestrian crossing.” Sadly, these simple courtesies are sometimes forgotten or overlooked. You may be guilty of some of these malpractices whether you realize it or not.
Assisting Motorists
Car trouble is a grueling experience that every motorist would wish never to encounter. Just the thought of your vehicle breaking down and having to pull to the curb of a lonely road is frightening. In such times of crisis, any motorist would be glad to get a helping hand; however while agreeing that help is still offered, the experts argue that safety is often a concern for potential Good Samaritans.
Seth Grennell, driving instructor at Grennell’s Driving School points out that “In this era with crime and violence, the likelihood of someone helping you if you have car trouble is slim to nil. People are scared and realize that criminals will use all sorts of trickery to get what they want,”. Director of The Road Safety Unit in The Ministry of Transport and Works (MOTW) Kenute Hare, recommends that motorists alert law enforcement to assist in such situations. “ I guess if you see someone broken down, I think what you should do is advise the police so that they can provide the necessary assistance and protection for those motorists”.
Foote reveals that her company provides roadside assistance. “We offer ‘BCIC ASSIST’ through our partners Jamaica Automobile Association (JAA). ASSIST is a motor vehicle accident scene and emergency roadside assistance service. It is a value-added service that is free of charge to our private car policyholders.”
Look Out for Pedestrians
One of the most repeated rules of thumb in driving school is that the pedestrian comes first. For the most part Jamaican drivers show some level of kindness to pedestrians but sometimes motorists do not respect pedestrians because they use the road carelessly. Grennell explains, “Pedestrians use the roads so horribly that some drivers turn a blind eye to them”. Hare agrees that acts of kindness to pedestrians could be shown more frequently as they are most at risk on the road. “Our pedestrians are our most vulnerable road users; they continue to account for 30 – 33% of road users killed over the past 20 years. They do not wear seat belts, they do not wear helmets, so they depend a lot on the caution of the motorist to keep them safe within the traffic environment,” said Hare.
Pedestrians should play their part in guaranteeing their own safety and securing courtesies for themselves. “Pedestrians need to look out for their own safety by ensuring that they wear the necessary clothing to make them discernible at night,” Hare said. He also notes that the onus is on the pedestrians as, “Based on the geometrics of motor vehicles, it is easier for them to see the motor vehicle than the driver to see them. The driver will be able to see the pedestrian when he is about 50/60 metres but the pedestrian can see the vehicle coming as far as 200m hence they should play their roles to ensure that their safety is not compromised.”
Stop Road Rage
Road Rage is common among Jamaican road users and arises from a number of factors including tardiness, frustrating traffic delays and impatience. Road rage may result in a fracas between road users, the excessive tooting of horns and may even get deadly. Several cases of road rage have ended in fatal shootings in recent times. Grennell explains, “When drivers have emotional problems like stress, they are easily susceptible to road rage. Bad drivers are usually undisciplined and have a wanton disregard for the road rules. They often consider themselves above the law and believe they won’t pay for their bad driving habits.”
Foote identifies the most evident signs of road rage as “reckless overtaking, non-observance of stop signs (especially at a four-way intersection); speeding; proceeding when the light turns red; aggressive driving e.g. overtaking when someone has stopped to let a pedestrian cross”. She recommends public awareness initiatives to sensitize people about road rage. She pointed out, “BCIC has been having that conversation via social media (our Facebook page) which promotes safety on the roads.”
Wet Weather Caution
Poor driving in rainy conditions has long been a complaint for pedestrians who are often drenched by motorists who continue to speed on wet roads. Grennell says this happens because of the reluctance of motorists to slow down during rainy weather. “Most Jamaican drivers rarely change their driving to match the change in weather conditions. So the same speed they drive at when the road is dry is the same speed they drive at when the road is wet. The road being wet affects how quickly the vehicle will stop, the control the driver has over the vehicle especially around corners and bends”. Foote recommends that, “They should drive much slower in these conditions for their own safety but most definitely slow down when passing a pedestrian. Sometimes there are unexpected potholes covered by the rainfall that will produce a splash when a driver falls in at any speed so they must significantly reduce their speed.”
Dimming headlights
Driving at nights of course requires the use of artificial lights such as streetlights that illuminate the roadway. However, streetlights are not present in all areas so motorists have to depend on their headlights at nightfall. However, driving on high beam lights remains a concern for both pedestrians and other motorists. Other motorists frown upon it because it impairs their vision. Grennell recommends that, “They should flicker/flash on-and-off their bright lights to signal to the oncoming vehicle that they are driving with their bright light on”. He adds, “Drivers should dim their light. Blind people don’t drive and that’s basically the situation we would have,”. His final comment: “Driving with your bright lights in built up areas or 500ft or closer to a vehicle is not courteous. Unfortunately this is ignored by some road users especially on what are considered ‘country roads’”.
Patience with Learners
Just think back to when you were learning to drive. It was a nerve-wracking experience that was worsened by impatient drivers. Learning to drive or driving under instruction remains one of the most intimidating experiences in a motorist’s life as experienced drivers are not always welcoming. Quite often, we see road-hogs bullying these learners which may cause them to lose focus. Grennell points out, “A lot of drivers are very impatient and have forgotten what it was like to be a learner. Many Jamaicans are usually late and curse their luck when they see a learner vehicle in front of them; as a result they blow their horn, tail gate, and try anything to get the learner out of their way”. He implores experienced drivers to exercise patience with learners. “They should wait until its safe to pass and try and play their part in making the road environment as comfortable as possible for learners”.
Showing courtesy on the road makes road usage easier, safer and convenient for all road users. It eliminates confusion and the likelihood of fatalities. Imagine what travelling on our roads would be like in the absence of road etiquette. We should play our part in ensuring that we extend all the courtesies we would like to receive.
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Extending common road courtesies is not a new concept but we are left to wonder if certain considerate practices are still observed by road users in this day and age where accident reports increase rapidly. Some courtesies may be seen as guidelines that are practised at the discretion of users while others are stipulated by law. Road signs, traffic lights and pedestrian crossings are some of the visible and identifiable safety measures used to promote road etiquette. Simone Foote, Marketing Manager at British Caribbean Insurance Company (BCIC) describes road courtesy as “being patient and mindful of other drivers and pedestrians by giving the appropriate road signals; observing the requirements for the distance between you and the vehicle in front (no tailgating); being courteous to pedestrians by stopping to allow them to cross when standing at the pedestrian crossing.” Sadly, these simple courtesies are sometimes forgotten or overlooked. You may be guilty of some of these malpractices whether you realize it or not.
Assisting Motorists
Car trouble is a grueling experience that every motorist would wish never to encounter. Just the thought of your vehicle breaking down and having to pull to the curb of a lonely road is frightening. In such times of crisis, any motorist would be glad to get a helping hand; however while agreeing that help is still offered, the experts argue that safety is often a concern for potential Good Samaritans.
Seth Grennell, driving instructor at Grennell’s Driving School points out that “In this era with crime and violence, the likelihood of someone helping you if you have car trouble is slim to nil. People are scared and realize that criminals will use all sorts of trickery to get what they want,”. Director of The Road Safety Unit in The Ministry of Transport and Works (MOTW) Kenute Hare, recommends that motorists alert law enforcement to assist in such situations. “ I guess if you see someone broken down, I think what you should do is advise the police so that they can provide the necessary assistance and protection for those motorists”.
Foote reveals that her company provides roadside assistance. “We offer ‘BCIC ASSIST’ through our partners Jamaica Automobile Association (JAA). ASSIST is a motor vehicle accident scene and emergency roadside assistance service. It is a value-added service that is free of charge to our private car policyholders.”
Look Out for Pedestrians
One of the most repeated rules of thumb in driving school is that the pedestrian comes first. For the most part Jamaican drivers show some level of kindness to pedestrians but sometimes motorists do not respect pedestrians because they use the road carelessly. Grennell explains, “Pedestrians use the roads so horribly that some drivers turn a blind eye to them”. Hare agrees that acts of kindness to pedestrians could be shown more frequently as they are most at risk on the road. “Our pedestrians are our most vulnerable road users; they continue to account for 30 – 33% of road users killed over the past 20 years. They do not wear seat belts, they do not wear helmets, so they depend a lot on the caution of the motorist to keep them safe within the traffic environment,” said Hare.
Pedestrians should play their part in guaranteeing their own safety and securing courtesies for themselves. “Pedestrians need to look out for their own safety by ensuring that they wear the necessary clothing to make them discernible at night,” Hare said. He also notes that the onus is on the pedestrians as, “Based on the geometrics of motor vehicles, it is easier for them to see the motor vehicle than the driver to see them. The driver will be able to see the pedestrian when he is about 50/60 metres but the pedestrian can see the vehicle coming as far as 200m hence they should play their roles to ensure that their safety is not compromised.”
Stop Road Rage
Road Rage is common among Jamaican road users and arises from a number of factors including tardiness, frustrating traffic delays and impatience. Road rage may result in a fracas between road users, the excessive tooting of horns and may even get deadly. Several cases of road rage have ended in fatal shootings in recent times. Grennell explains, “When drivers have emotional problems like stress, they are easily susceptible to road rage. Bad drivers are usually undisciplined and have a wanton disregard for the road rules. They often consider themselves above the law and believe they won’t pay for their bad driving habits.”
Foote identifies the most evident signs of road rage as “reckless overtaking, non-observance of stop signs (especially at a four-way intersection); speeding; proceeding when the light turns red; aggressive driving e.g. overtaking when someone has stopped to let a pedestrian cross”. She recommends public awareness initiatives to sensitize people about road rage. She pointed out, “BCIC has been having that conversation via social media (our Facebook page) which promotes safety on the roads.”
Wet Weather Caution
Poor driving in rainy conditions has long been a complaint for pedestrians who are often drenched by motorists who continue to speed on wet roads. Grennell says this happens because of the reluctance of motorists to slow down during rainy weather. “Most Jamaican drivers rarely change their driving to match the change in weather conditions. So the same speed they drive at when the road is dry is the same speed they drive at when the road is wet. The road being wet affects how quickly the vehicle will stop, the control the driver has over the vehicle especially around corners and bends”. Foote recommends that, “They should drive much slower in these conditions for their own safety but most definitely slow down when passing a pedestrian. Sometimes there are unexpected potholes covered by the rainfall that will produce a splash when a driver falls in at any speed so they must significantly reduce their speed.”
Dimming headlights
Driving at nights of course requires the use of artificial lights such as streetlights that illuminate the roadway. However, streetlights are not present in all areas so motorists have to depend on their headlights at nightfall. However, driving on high beam lights remains a concern for both pedestrians and other motorists. Other motorists frown upon it because it impairs their vision. Grennell recommends that, “They should flicker/flash on-and-off their bright lights to signal to the oncoming vehicle that they are driving with their bright light on”. He adds, “Drivers should dim their light. Blind people don’t drive and that’s basically the situation we would have,”. His final comment: “Driving with your bright lights in built up areas or 500ft or closer to a vehicle is not courteous. Unfortunately this is ignored by some road users especially on what are considered ‘country roads’”.
Patience with Learners
Just think back to when you were learning to drive. It was a nerve-wracking experience that was worsened by impatient drivers. Learning to drive or driving under instruction remains one of the most intimidating experiences in a motorist’s life as experienced drivers are not always welcoming. Quite often, we see road-hogs bullying these learners which may cause them to lose focus. Grennell points out, “A lot of drivers are very impatient and have forgotten what it was like to be a learner. Many Jamaicans are usually late and curse their luck when they see a learner vehicle in front of them; as a result they blow their horn, tail gate, and try anything to get the learner out of their way”. He implores experienced drivers to exercise patience with learners. “They should wait until its safe to pass and try and play their part in making the road environment as comfortable as possible for learners”.
Showing courtesy on the road makes road usage easier, safer and convenient for all road users. It eliminates confusion and the likelihood of fatalities. Imagine what travelling on our roads would be like in the absence of road etiquette. We should play our part in ensuring that we extend all the courtesies we would like to receive.
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