Brent Batson, who is the new president of the group has announced that he expects that the 2010 road fatality figure - which is about now 169 - to reach 200 by the end of the year.
“When we look at the statistics we are not happy, we are not seeing the major decrease in traffic fatalities that should be happening, and we are genuinely concerned about the lack of a co-ordinated effort to deal with it,” he told reporters at a news conference this week.
Batson announced a new Arrive Alive media campaign entitled “How Many Lives Saved” incorporating, press, radio, tv and web to promote the importance of personal responsibility.
Arrive Alive's campaign is commendable and will hopefully encourage people to take greater personal responsibility. It might even save a few lives.
However, the one issue that needs to be addressed in Trinidad and Tobago is drunk driving.
We are a society that encourages consumption of alcohol. It has become part of popular culture as evidenced by the various Chutney "hits" that celebrate rum drinking.
The Chutney singers are merely reflecting reality. Take a look around you and you will understand. You can buy alcohol just about anywhere, including gas stations. I have seen drunks at the wheel with beer bottles in hand driving on our roads.
Go to the supermarkets with your kids and you will find a whole section for a variety of alcoholic drinks. Is it any wonder then that we celebrate drinking?
It is time to make a change to our rum culture and we can start by looking at a country like Canada where the rules that govern alcohol ensure that there is control without establishing prohibition.
- Alcohol sales are restricted to exclusive government-run shops that are very strict on who can enter and buy alcoholic beverages
- It is illegal to drive with open alcohol in a vehicle. All drinks must be sealed and placed either in the trunk or in the back of the vehicle, outside of the reach of the driver
- No alcohol can be consumed in a public space unless a special permit has been obtained in advance
- It is an offence to carry open alcohol on public transit or walk with it on the streets
- Underage drinking is strictly enforced; even house parties are regulated
- Bars are liable if they fail to restrict the use of alcohol to persons who are clearly intoxicated
- On special occasions with festivities, Public Transit operates free services for persons who are unable to drive because they have been drinking
However if we start paying more attention to our attitude to drinking we could save lives both on the roads and at home. Much of the domestic abuse stems from abuse of alcohol.
Mass media help shape mass culture. We can start with new rules that govern how we present messages about alcohol. The government can change the rules about licensing bars and rum shops. State alcohol shops like those in Canada could be an option as well. (Think of the revenue it could generate for the state.)
The new government promised change. Too many of us expect change only in the way politics is conducted. Perhaps it is time or citizens to urge their representatives to look closely at the damage our rum culture is causing to the nation, our families and especially our youth.
We can still have a river lime without everybody getting drunk. How? Make sure that for every vehicle that is at the lime, we have one designated driver. That is an example of how each of us can begin to take personal responsibility.
Our future as a nation depends on taking responsibility for our actions. And that includes the way we treat alcohol. We can change things and still have a great time celebrating Christmas and Carnival and everything else.
Alcohol, like everything else, has its place. And its place is not with our children or anyone driving a motor vehicle.
Sero Parasram | Toronto, October 29, 2010
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