Needed: Safety consciousness
By Nalaka Gunawardene
Two teenaged girls being knocked down and killed by a moving train in
Dehiwala last Monday (24) evening has shocked the nation. This tragic
accident could have been avoided if only there was greater safety
consciousness in the two girls - and those accompanying them.
Initial reports indicated that the two young victims were reportedly
wearing headphones which might have likely distracted their sensory
perception. A few years ago, a roadside jogger wearing headphones was
killed by a vehicle in another suburban area of Colombo.
In both incidents, the persons involved probably lacked full
situational awareness that could have saved their lives. Does it mean
that headphones connected to iPods or mobile phones take all the blame?
It is true that wearable digital gadgets can distract users when full
concentration is needed. This is why traffic police severely cautions
against using mobile phones when driving (although there are no
comparable guidelines for pedestrians).
But the latest tragedy highlights a deeper problem: Our glaring lack
of safety consciousness as a nation. Everyday, we take too many chances
with our lives and limbs.
Many people and institutions don't take simple precautions that can
avert accidents and human tragedies. For example, how often do we see a
helmet-wearing father riding a motorbike carrying his children without
helmets? Or mothers walking their children on the road, with children
going on the side of vehicle movement?
Safety first!
Most of the time, we get away with careless reckless behaviour
without repercussions. But sooner or later, luck runs out and tragedy
befalls.
In post-war Sri Lanka, traumatic injuries are still the leading cause
of public hospital admissions - and not just from road traffic accidents
(whose numbers keep rising) or attempted suicides (whose numbers have
come down).
A zero-accident society not possible, but we certainly can avoid many
tragedies through individual and collective responsibility. For that, we
need to get far more serious about safety in our homes, on the roads and
other public spaces. Even places we tend to consider as 'safe' are not
always so. Thus, we hear of schoolchildren being injured or killed right
in their schools from entirely preventable accidents. Sometimes, serious
injury or deaths occur from failure to follow proper guidelines in
sporting activities.
On another front, for an island nation that loves going to the beach,
we sorely lack a water safety consciousness and life-saving
arrangements. As a result, around a thousand lives are lost from
drowning every year - all of them preventable deaths.
In a landmark case, Colombo Chief Magistrate Court last year ordered
the BMICH management to pay Rs 180 million as compensation to Dr.
Samitha Samanmali. A medical student, she sustained severe injuries in
February 2008 when a temporary shelter collapsed on her during an
exhibition at Colombo's premier convention facility. She has to spend
the rest of her life confined to a wheelchair.
I wonder if this ruling has made owners and managers of public
facilities more safety conscious. Are our building codes and their
enforcement addressing public safety including fire safety?
Evidently not. Newly designed cinema multiplexes, apartments and
shopping complexes have inadequate fire escapes and other safety
precautions. Some have fire exits that are locked up by security
managers to prevent the entry of intruders! In such public or private
places, many accidents are just waiting to happen...
Protecting children
Children are especially vulnerable. Consultant surgeon Dr. Wijaya
Godakumbura - who has helped save so many lives by inventing and
promoting a safe bottle lamp - has long been campaigning to make our
parents and teachers more conscious of children's safety.
Children are more prone to injury than adults, he says, because they
are naturally curious and have yet to develop instincts of
self-preservation. Parents, teachers and other grown-ups are responsible
for creating child-safe environments. Simple precautions and mindfulness
can avoid so much grief.
As part of his mission, Dr. Godakumbura has written a book in Sinhala,
titled 'Protect Your Child from Injury' (Sarasavi Publishers, 2012). It
has 13 chapters on the leading causes of injury - including burns,
falls, animal bites, drowning, road accidents and poisoning. Each
chapter ends with a list of preventive tips. Books like these should be
made important reading for all parents.
There is much public outcry on sexual exploitation of children,
certainly a valid concern. But how much less do we care about protecting
children from entirely avoidable home and outdoor accidents?
National safety mission
It takes time and effort to change the minds of 21 million people.
Stricter laws and regulations by the government can help. The Health
Ministry has a National Committee for Prevention of Injuries. There is a
National Council for Road Safety (NCRS) under the Ministry of Transport.
But we cannot expect a policeman at every street corner to save us
from our own follies! We have to promote a culture of safety and
precaution without, of course, nurturing misplaced fears or paranoia.
Life is not a hazard-safe pursuit, but common sense and mindfulness
help us to manage risks in everyday living.
We need a collective and coordinated effort to raise safety
consciousness that involves government, corporate sector, media, civil
society and citizens. We need a National Safety Mission that brings
everyone together in our common interest.
Science writer Nalaka Gunawardene has been writing about road traffic
and safety issues for many years. He blogs at:
https://nalakagunawardene.com |