The increasing indifference in adhering to traffic rules may point to a larger problem: a lack of responsibility.
It seems to be becoming an everyday scene in the Netherlands: chaos in traffic, where rules are increasingly ignored and safety makes way for laziness. Whether it concerns cyclists without lights, motorists with broken headlights, or scooter riders who drag cyclists along by their arms, it seems as if the traffic rules have increasingly become a non-binding guideline. The result? Unsafe situations that not only cause irritation, but are also life-threatening.
Cyclists seem to be criticized the most. The lack of good bicycle lighting in particular is a major problem. A cyclist without lights is virtually invisible to motorists and other road users on a dark, poorly lit road. Yet countless people cycle with only reflectors or even without lights at all. This leads to dangerous situations, especially in the winter months, when the days are shorter and the roads are more slippery. Some people even cycle against traffic on poorly lit roads, presumably to save a few meters. The associated risk to themselves and others does not seem to be taken into account.
In addition, scooter drivers who “push” cyclists ahead of them pose special dangers. This phenomenon, in which a cyclist holds on to a scooter to gain speed, is increasing. It not only creates dangerous scenes in traffic, but is also prohibited. Yet the perpetrators seem to pay little attention to this. In rainy conditions or when the road is slippery, these practices only become more risky, with all the possible consequences that entails.
Traffic chaos on the streets: dangerous trends are increasing in everyday traffic.
But it is not only cyclists who contribute to the chaos on the road. Motorists are also increasingly showing their worst side. The number of vehicles driving around with defective lights seems to be increasing at an alarming rate. Broken tail lights, non-working brake lights or even missing headlights are becoming increasingly common. Although some defects are simply noticed too late, the question arises whether overdue maintenance does not play a major role here. For motorists themselves, this not only means less visibility, but also an increased risk of accidents for other road users.
At traffic lights, the situation is not getting any safer either. More and more drivers seem to put haste above safety. For many, driving through a red light is no longer an exception, but rather a reflex. The phenomenon where a whole column of drivers “just” tries to drive through a red light causes unrest and danger for traffic that gets a green light. Pedestrians and cyclists in particular suffer from this, because they often do not expect any vehicles to come while they have already started to cross.
indifference
The increasing indifference in the observance of traffic rules may point to a larger problem: a lack of responsibility. In a time when everyone wants to get from A to B quickly, traffic rules seem to have become subordinate to personal agendas. This attitude not only costs time and money through accidents and traffic fines, but above all endangers human lives.
To stop this trend, stricter action is needed. More checks on bicycle lights, stricter enforcement of red light drivers and educational campaigns about road safety could help. However, the core of the solution lies with the road users themselves. Everyone who participates in traffic, from cyclists to motorists, has a responsibility to take others into account. Without this collective change in mentality, road safety is only likely to deteriorate further.
