Traffic congestion costly

Traffic congestion costly

From Jayakarta

Time is very valuable to a society in this industrialized era. It is very important for all parties to keep their promise and use their time efficiently. But it is ironical that the system of transportation is more often than not the cause of time wastage.

Take for example the traffic congestion in Jakarta. It has become the order of the day. The traffic problem is very complex. Besides inadequate roads to support the large number of vehicles, various other factors like behavior and discipline of road users, street vendors and pedestrians, as well as traffic lights, are also attributable to the traffic problem.

Sociologists and psychologists suggest that traffic requires patience, tolerance and cooperation. Egoistic attitudes and insensitivity, on the other hand, are among the major causes of traffic disorder.

In developed countries traffic management and training for drivers are given greater consideration. Traffic ethics are introduced while still at schools, and socialization of traffic regulations are done earlier. We have to do the same thing, as far as traffic problems are concerned.

Traffic congestion is costly because it causes a great loss of energy. The loss caused by traffic congestion in Jakarta is estimated at one billion rupiah per hour in terms of money, environment destruction and pollution. Pollution, in turn, has a bad impact on the lungs, causes stress and headaches. Time wastage, delayed work also constitute immaterial loss.

LIBERTUS S. PANE

Jakarta