Accidents are on rise at Juba teaching hospital, say health officials
July 1, 2013 (JUBA) – Thousands of people travel each day in South Sudan’s capital Juba by boda-boda but accidents involving the motorcycle taxis are on the rise, mostly due to a lack of understanding of traffic rules.
Bakhita Dawut, 34, who was in a boda-boda accident this week. She says the bike collided with another and injured her hands and legs.
“I need to tell these boys of the boda that they don’t need to go in hurry while on the public road. The traffic rules need to be respected. When you’re on the road they need to know that you are on the public property. Some of these boys leave their right hand side and go and take others’ side”, said Dawut.
Dawut blamed the boy who harmed her, and she accused rider of taking wrong side of the other people. She appealed to all boda –boda rider to respect rules of the traffic.
20-year-old boda driver Joseph Lako says three months ago he collided with a car, which broke his leg and killed his brother at the scene.
He is still receiving treatment in Juba Teaching Hospital.
Lako says, “We were on a motor bike and immediately a bus-driver hit them behind and reached us and hit us as well. Then traffic police officer intervened and blew the whistle and after all he hit us, we were three on the bike and my brother died on spot and the rider who was a cousin survived with serious injuries all over his body and I had my leg broken. It is a terrible situation now for me”
Boda riders blame the accident on the drivers of large, expensive cars that they claim do not give way on the roads.
Mohamed Ali boda boda rider in Juba Jabel Market says, the expensive car drivers don’t respect the road even if even you are on the right side he just want to pass because he thinks the car is expensive you leave way for him and they don’t follow the traffic laws.
He added that most of the accidents. You may be on the right side but they knock you after knocking you they say this is V-8 is Hummer. Hummer cannot make accident, yet it has already happened.
South Sudan traffic officials say they hope to improve the situation through public education, conducting seminars and workshops about traffic rules.
Mayom Wuor is a traffic officer says, Most of these accidents are caused by drivers. They never go by rules of traffic and do not see the round-about properly when they are in a hurry. Whenever there is a jam at the round-about then people rush the road and that makes it difficult for them to go without problem.
Wuor say they are trying to have clear rules. “That is why we are stationed at every part of the city, so that there is no accident. But this doesn’t prevent accidents from happening because some young people who are around 15 escape with their parents’ bikes and go on street for boda business”, added Wuor.
At Juba Teaching Hospital, victims of bodaboda accidents arrive daily.Dr.Mapuor Mading is the Director of Emergencies and Accidents at the hospital. He says that accident-related deaths are on the rise, often due to a delay in treatment.
“For this month I have already received 24 cases of road traffic accidents and these are caused by motorcycles and these cases are not just minor injuries they are injuries of fractures. The sustained fractures, some are in their limbs, lower limbs and some have upper limbs and some have minor injuries”, Mading.
(ST)