The mass movements of people for Christmas and New Year celebrations demand extra precaution to prevent any accidents or security incidents.

Soon, it will be a very busy time for public transport companies as people leave or arrive for Christmas and New Year celebrations. This is the period of the year when people travel the most in order to spend what some consider the greatest celebrations of the year with their families. Thus, the need to take into account a number of road safety and security concerns.

Passenger Comfort, Safety First

As Christmas Day draws near, an unprecedented number of people will hit the road in all towns and cities of Cameroon. There is a great chance that bus companies and other public transport owners will not have enough vehicles to transport all these passengers, thus the tendency to overload the few available buses. While passengers want to get to their destinations as soon as possible, it is necessary to give a thought to their comfort, and most importantly, safety. In the event of accident, the impact on occupants of an overloaded vehicle tends to be higher.

State Of Buses

The temptation at this time of the year is for vehicles to arrive in motor parks or bus stations and immediately take off for other trips because passengers have been waiting for hours on end. Often, the mechanic is not given the opportunity to check the state of the vehicle before it takes off on another long journey. The risk is that vehicles will break down on the way, obliging passengers to wait for repairs or to dip hands into their pockets in order to continue their trips in other buses. On the other hand, road-unworthy or unsafe vehicles are almost sure baits for accidents, given the high volume of traffic at this time of the year.

Beware Of Driver Fatigue, Alcohol!

The presence of hundreds of passengers thronging bus stations day and night waiting to travel could lure bus company owners to send drivers on endless trips. Another way of satisfying growing passenger demand is to offer drivers special allowances for making extra trips. With fatigue already setting in, fatal accidents are no distant likelihood. On the other hand, the taking of alcohol by drivers in order to “remain alert or be in the mood” only imperils the lives of everyone on board. Rather, public transport owners could hire more drivers and buses for the peak season, instead of overburdening the existing ones.      

Who Are Your Passengers?

At this time of heightened security threats in the country, it is important for bus conductors and other motor park officials to properly frisk passengers and their luggage before boarding. You never know, armed robbery accomplices or terrorists might smuggle weapons or explosives on board. The quest to make quick money during this peak business period should not blind bus owners to the risks of accepting just anyone on board.