Today, unlike in the past, we are entertained in commercial buses. Music will be blaring, while we get to watch local and foreign movies. The question we've failed to ask is: Are TVs in trotros for our viewing pleasure or distraction?
You don't need to strain to see television sets tugged in trotros if you public transport. The revolution has caught on with all drivers that vehicles with little space for passengers have TVs.
Whiles the motive might be good, I'm convinced TVs in trotros is a distractive tool that encourage the drivers to overspeed on our roads.
Though there are no figures to show the contribution of TVS to road accidents, there is no denying the danger are likely to pose to other road users and passengers.
Though it is unlawful to install television set on dashboards, no law prevents the installation of it in public transports. This has offered the pleasure to vehicles without enough space to also install television in their cars at the expense of passenger comfort.
Regulations 189 of the Road Traffic Regulations provides said, among others that a person shall not use or operate a television monitor or a similar device on the dashboard of a vehicle while the motor vehicle is in motion.
It beats me how it is possible for them to install television sets in their vehicles, yet they forget to create comfort for their passengers. It is easy to sit in public transport and feel the flesh of the next passenger close to yours.
How is this possible?
As though on cue, almost all sprinter and 207 buses have TVs but there is no room to accommodate the legs of passengers the space is shared with spare tyres, gallons and other spare parts which create inconvenience for their passengers.
The simple reason for the installation of the television sets is to prevent passengers from interfering with drivers.
Driving needs critical attention and focus but the TVs help them to the do the opposite. It is the job of drivers to ferry their passengers to safety. TVs prevent the drivers from picking unusual noises from their vehicles and in their environment which could lead to road carnage in the future if not checked.
This is why passengers have to be extra-vigilant to monitor drivers from over-speeding and reckless driving.
Law enforcement agencies such as the police have a role to play here. They must ensure that vehicles which have TVs on their dashboards are punished since the act flouts the law.
Safety on our roads is neither the sole job of the police nor passengers. It is a job for all Ghanaians - government, security agencies, National Road Safety Commission (NRSC) and Parliament.
Let's be safe and insist on safety.
Source: Forgive Francis Amedeka
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