Public transporters should pay much attention to roadside safety signposts and respect traffic rules and regulations so as to significantly reduce and prevent fatal accidents.

George Rumanzi, the commissioner for Traffic and Road Safety at Rwanda National Police (RNP), made the remarks in Kigali Tuesday as he officiated at the opening of a four-day training for drivers of various transport companies.

About 120 drivers are attending the training that seeks to improve their understanding of road safety standards.

"Exercise patience, many accidents are caused by impatient drivers who are rushing to get to their destinations or scrambling for passengers. While time is a valid consideration, safety is more important,” Rumanzi said.

He urged drivers to take into consideration "even the smallest details” of traffic regulations for their safety and for the safety of passengers and all road users.

"Avoid distractions; even what you perceive as minor like using handsets to text messages or make phone calls, changing CDs, eating, interacting with passengers, these are reckless practices that in some cases lead to fatal accidents,” he said.

Rumanzi reminded the drivers to carry out regular "proper vehicle maintenance” to prevent accidents that are likely to result from mechanical faults.

"Stay alert, avoid assumptions, use turn signals and buckle up,” he said, adding that RNP is developing an IT tool that will be used to modernise traffic systems and identify violations of traffic rules and regulations like the validity of insurance, mechanical inspection certificate, among others.

Emmanuel Asaba, the head of transport department in Rwanda Utility Regulatory Agency (RURA), said each driver must have a contract with their respective travel agencies as prerequisite for the company to be awarded an operation license.

"We want to create a professional association of public transport drivers that work under contract with their respective companies and possess a digitalised drivers’ licence to allow us to keep records of their offences,” Asaba said.

RURA’s new form of drivers’ licence will have three categories to measure the conduct of a driver.

They include green for a clean record; yellow, which means a driver can be warned on the offence committed; and red, which symbolises the climax of traffic-related offenses where the offender will be handed a six-month suspension.

The card is valid for two years.

The red card, however, doesn’t bar a culprit from driving a private vehicle.

Similar training that, will be conducted in phases, is expected to benefit all drivers of public vehicles across the country.

editorial@newtimes.co.rw