Follow traffic rules to save lives of families

Enforcement measures of traffic rules play a crucial role in preserving the lives of families navigating the roads, striving to prevent casualties in traffic accidents. It is imperative for all road users to comprehensively understand the primary objectives of traffic rules and adhere to them rigorously.
Countries enact traffic rules tailored to their unique circumstances, aiming to safeguard people from potential dangers on the roads. Some nations prioritize public awareness campaigns on traffic rules and establish dedicated traffic police forces to enforce regulations and alleviate traffic congestion comprehensively.
Official annual statistics for 2023 revealed a distressing reality, with over 2,000 lives lost in traffic accidents nationwide, including incidents on the Yangon-Mandalay Expressway. Reflecting on this figure, it is essential to recognize that those injured not only endure physical and mental suffering but also grapple with the financial burden of medical expenses, potentially altering the course of their lives.
Traffic accidents extend no forgiveness to victims and their families, subjecting them to enduring hardships and profound physical and mental anguish. On the flip side, those found violating traffic rules, be it due to personal errors or vehicle-related issues, inevitably face legal consequences, exacerbating familial challenges. Therefore, all stakeholders in the traffic domain must actively work towards averting traffic issues while steadfastly adhering to traffic rules.
Between January and November 2023, the nation experienced a total of 4,421 traffic accidents, resulting in 6,199 injuries and 2,250 fatalities, according to the official report. Yangon Region topped the list with 778 cases, followed by Mandalay Region with 607, Ayeyawady Region with 687, and Bago Region with 541 cases. These incidents claimed 387 lives and left 837 injured in Yangon Region, 315 dead and 845 injured in Mandalay Region, 216 fatalities and 1,151 injuries in Ayeyawady Region, and 245 deaths and 666 injuries in Bago Region, according to the statistics.
These alarming figures underscore Myanmar’s challenges in adhering to traffic rules, necessitating heightened efforts from traffic enforcement bodies. A collaborative approach involving the public and authorities is essential to mitigate traffic problems and reduce casualties. These amounts of deaths and injuries highlighted the weakness of Myanmar people in following the traffic rules in driving vehicles and using roads, whereas relevant traffic rules enforcement bodies need to beef up their restrictions over supervising traffic activities. As such, people and authorities strive to reduce traffic problems and casualties so as to wipe the tears of victims’ families in traffic accidents and not to be orphanage life of children.