Need to make speeding extremely ‘uncool’

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We need no further proof that speed kills. We have witnessed, heard and read about speeding causing road accidents practically every second day, if not daily.

Yesterday, once again, we had a horrendous car crash on the Coastal Road, with three occupants of the speeding car killed and one critically injured.

The priority now is to make speeding extremely ‘uncool'. Social service advertising: traffic authorities must send the message that speeding, zipping along, pressing the throttle while driving, or any kind of road transport is hardly heroic or cool. It is, in fact, extremely irresponsible and childish. Even car adverts, with our stellar ad makers and copywriters, should make slow ‘n' steady stylish, sexy and aspirational.

In an instant, fast-moving time and world, speed has become akin to stylish and aspirational. That is the image we need to break.

In schools, kids need to be taught that the biggest red flag on our roads is speeding. It is not the fastest driver but one who exercises caution and control who is worthy of emulation, a real roadworthy role model.

The traffic authorities may need more signage lauding the slower driver. Slam the brakes on speed and hammer home the message that it is better coming home five minutes late rather than not coming home at all.

Social media can be used to send a message that the ultimate pro is one who has never crashed because of rash, irresponsible, fast driving. Our movies and ads inadvertently make much of speeding. We can think about disclaimers in movies with speeding scenes. Get the slow is the way to go message through the different platforms available to us.