Police and road safety experts have asked motorists in the country to enhance safety when their vehicles break down on the road by using reflective triangle plates instead of tree branches.
They expressed the sentiments in response to The Nation’s observations that most vehicles, particularly heavy goods trucks, use tree-branches instead of reflective triangle plates or cones as a caution to other road users during breakdown.
On Thursday night, The Nation counted 51 broken-down heavy goods trucks and vans along the M1 between Mzuzu and Blantyre. About 29 of the breakdowns were between Mzuzu and Jenda Trading Centre in Mzimba.
However, out of the 51 broken down trucks, only one used a reflective triangle plate to warn other motorists while the other 50 used tree branches as a warning of stationary vehicle ahead.
In an interview yesterday, Malawi Police Service director of traffic Dorothy Kawale said it is an offence for motorists to move without triangle plate reflectors and that a fine of not less than K10 000 is imposed.
She said triangle plate reflectors are among traffic police priority check-list on every moving vehicle, including heavy goods trucks.
Said Kawale: “The use of tree branches instead of triangles is not accepted. That is why we fine any driver found operating without triangles.
“The danger of using tree branches or leaves as hazard warning is that they are not visible enough, which poses a threat of causing accidents.”
Road safety experts Steve Mwandama and Chifwede Hara, in separate interviews, echoed Kawale’s sentiments that tree branches are not authorised as replacement for triangle plates.
Mwandama wondered why most motorists find it difficult to have triangles when they cost less than most vehicle spare parts.
He said: “There are few things that look simple, but very critical for every trip. We call them pre-trip checks.
“A good driver checks triangles, spare tyres, fire extinguishers, wheel spanner, jack and even lights before embarking on a trip. But most drivers overlook that. These pre-trip checks are not just important for you as a driver, but also for the safety of other motorists.”
On his part, Hara observed that triangle plates reflect at a distance of about 50 metres, which tree branches or leaves cannot do.
During the night on Thursday, a salon vehicle hit a stationary truck at Bawi in Ntcheu District. The Nation learnt that the driver of the salon car was rushed to Ntcheu District Hospital.
A witness at the accident site Sizwe Kavalamtengo said the stationary van, registration number MZ 11067 developed a fault in one of its rear hubs and the driver used tree branches as a warning sign.
“It seems the salon driver realised late that there was a stationary van ahead of him and ended up hitting it,” he said.
On the same night, Deputy Minister of Local Government, Unity and Culture Joyce Chitsulo was also involved in a road accident between Mzuzu and Mzimba after her official vehicle hit a stationary vehicle, which also used tree branches instead of triangle plate reflectors.
In an interview yesterday, Chitsulo said she believes that the accident happened due to the use of tree branches.
“Actually, there were few leaves and you couldn’t tell that those leaves were a sign of danger or stationary vehicle. I cannot blame my driver because the leaves were just too close to the stationary vehicle,” said Chitsulo, who sustained minor fractures.
