#PNN E-Mentoring (Taiwo Akinlami): Personal Safety/Self-Protection from Traffic-Related Accidents (2)

Continued from here

I am excited to be here today having this discussion with you. Sure you are doing well. I charge you to make it a point of duty to follow the instructions we are sharing with you here for your own safety. Pay attention to them and learn them by heart because of the day it is going to come handy for your safety.

Today I will share with you as follows the tips for protecting yourself against traffic-related mishaps

1. Walk on the side of the road facing approaching vehicles: it is common for young and old people to be knocked down by vehicles while walking on the side of the road. I think the number one remedy against being knocked down while walking on the sides of the road is to always make sure you are facing the traffic. By facing the traffic I mean you must always walk on the side of the road where you can have in your full view on-coming vehicles. When you are facing on-coming vehicle, it is easier for you to escape being knocked down than when you are backing an on-coming vehicle. Since I learnt this principle, anytime I have to walk on the side of the road, I consider it suicidal to back on-coming vehicle. I advise you to follow this rule religiously when you are on the road.

2. Do not text while walking or driving: one of the major secrets of safety on the road is focus. You refuse to be distracted. While walking on the road, make sure you are alert to your environment. There are few practices, I have found, which cause distractions to young people on the road and these practices are therefore very dangerous. Top on the list is texting while walking on the road and driving. It is very dangerous to text while walking or driving. I even suggest that depending on how busy the road is and the level of focus you need, you may also avoid making and receiving calls while walking on the road. The other practice is using earphone, particularly while walking. I see many young people, who are on the walking on the roads and block their ears with earphones. In most cases they are lost in listening to music that when a car horns, they do not hear. I think this is very dangerous and you must not engage in such. Another practice is that young people in some cases walk in groups and they are lost in ‘gisting’ on the road. The list of examples or practices, which break your focus and pose danger to you on the road may be endless but my charge to you today is you must for your personal safety and protection maintain total focus on the road and desist from anything that will distract you.

I think I should sign out here. The discussion resumes next week. May God help and keep us till then. I charge you to STAY SMART. Do have your wonderful self an INSPIRED Week.

Taiwo Akinlami is a Barrister & Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, foremost Child Protection Specialist, Consultant to UNICEF, governments, and other leading national and international organisations on Child Protection, Independent Legal and Social Regulatory Expert on Child’s Rights and Responsibilities Issues, Legal Enlightenment & Development Enthusiast, Researcher, Social Empowerment Advocate, Author, Blogger and an accredited facilitator of the British Council School Leadership Program. Website: www.taiwoakinlami.com│Blog: www.taiwoakinlami.wordpress.com│Twitter: @taiwoakinlami