Last week I had two near misses on Thursday morning and a witness to two big motor vehicle accidents on the same day! Is it just me or is the number of car crashes increasing in Samoa?

Father’s day weekend was not uneventful. Speeding is always a factor and new drivers or unlicensed drivers on the road. The more serious accident that involved a truck and a rental car at Tanugamanono resulted in a broken electric post, live wires falling dangerously around us, both cars probably written off and thankfully no one died or seriously injured.

The tourist kept saying it was her fault as she didn’t have the right of way. She was probably right judging from where her car was as the truck was driving on the main road. With so many events happening right now and the number of cars on the road,we are bound to have more accidents.

Thanks to FESA, EPC and Police for their quick response that helped save lives. July alone this year has seen a few fatal accidents just up the road from us. Speed and alcohol as well as careless driving are all contributing factors for many accidents.

Are they really accidents? If you are choosing to drive drunk off your face and killing innocent pedestrians, is that an actual accident? It’s a choice one will have to live with after the fact. Let’s not forget drugs sold and consumed here. There are so many factors causing motor vehicle accidents and they can all be prevented if we just exercise caution and common sense.

I’ve seen far too many people talking on their cell phones, texting and even filming the old tik tok video while driving. Distractions cause accidents. Never take your eyes off the road to read a text, find a phone or even reach for your sushi plate that is on the back seat because if the car in front of you suddenly stops, it will only take a few seconds to rear end their vehicle. Keep your distance.

Make sure to drive far enough behind the car in front of you especially in rainy or low visibility weather. Extend that distance when weather conditions are not good. Drive strategically, avoiding situations that could force you to break suddenly. If another driver is following you too closely or isn’t paying attention, you can always pull to the side of the road and let them pass.

Just because you are the only person on the road, doesn’t mean it is okay to do anything. We have dancing pigs, horses and children sometimes who run onto the road without warning. Oh, we almost hit a horse in Savaii during one of our work trips! The silly animal just happened to run onto the road, out of nowhere. It was quite funny hearing the driver and his colourful words aimed at the poor thing that did not bat an eyelash with all his honking and language.

Intersection crashes are frequent at Tuanaimato and other busy areas. I’ve seen two or three crashes there just last week on the way home from school. Also be careful of where you park. The power pole from last week’s accident missed my car by a few meters and the car next to mine was hit by the truck involved in the accident. So whether we are parking, reversing and moving, accidents can happen.

As we enjoy the rest of the week, be careful out there. Don’t try to be right as the other driver may not be paying attention. Enjoy the rest of the week Samoa!