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