Bus drivers and responsibility

Bus drivers and responsibility

From Media Indonesia

The Kramatjati bus tragedy on the Jagorawi toll road that claimed 30 lives on March 23, 1996, was just one of many road calamities to have recently taken place.

In most cases passengers reportedly warned their drivers to slow down and protested their reckless driving. But, as usual, the drivers rarely take heed of their passengers' concerns. When it is too late, the drivers then flee the accident sites to avoid responsibility.

Society must help relieve the burden on the police, of which there are too few.

According to article 47 of traffic law No. 14/1992, drivers have the right to drop off a passenger if the passenger is disturbing other passengers. Would it be unfair to include a paragraph in the traffic law that gives the passengers the right to warn the driver if he is driving dangerously?

The government has called for the public's help in upholding the law by reporting incidents to the police. But in reality, most are reluctant because they doubt if the authorities will respond. It would be much more effective to have a law. Then the drivers would think twice before violating regulations or ignoring their passengers.

DARMAWAN SOEDARSONO

Jakarta