Debate: Should Rwanda allow right hand drive cars?
Currently there is anxiety as motorists await a decision by the government that they hope will allow them to import right hand drive vehicles which was previously not allowed.
Though it seems to represent the will of the people, the much awaited decision could have greater consequences if implemented.
The left hand drive only policy has helped manage the number of motor vehicles imported into the country which has in turn reduced congestion on highways.
Rwanda having a left hand drive policy has helped maintain sanity on the roads; the policy has made it possible to limit the number of vehicles on our already overwhelmed roads. It has put vehicles out of reach of every middle class citizen who would have easily afforded a right hand drive vehicle.
Some of the supporters of the move to allow right hand vehicles argue that in the spirit of integration, Rwanda should follow the path of neighbouring countries like Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. But in doing this, they would be making way for congestion and traffic jams as witnessed in the capital cities of this countries.
As things stand, Rwanda’s roads seem to be slightly overwhelmed by the number of vehicles on the roads, no rewards for guessing what would be the case if right hand drives were allowed. Until we increase the lanes on our roads and increase the reach of our feeder roads, we should probably refrain from trying out everything our neighbours do.
Currently the city management and the government are putting efforts to improve the public transport system, to make it efficient enough to be a preferred choice for a majority of city dwellers. Keeping private motor vehicles beyond the reach of a majority of city dwellers by maintaining left hand drive vehicles would be a good way to reach the objective.
To a large extent, maintaining left hand drive vehicles could contribute to curbing road carnage, how you may ask. When harmony is maintained, it is easier to maintain order.
Allowing right hand drive vehicles will also come at an additional cost to the government, it will require that more road signs be put upon the roads, it will require that more automated ticketing machines be installed in places like the airport and shopping malls. Allowing right hand drive vehicles will cause unnecessary expenses like deployment of more traffic police officers and revision of road safety standards. It would be no harm and trouble to maintain status quo.
Yes, people should have a choice
I don’t get this whole thing where countries subject people to what type of cars they should or should not drive. What difference does it make to have both right and left hand drive cars on the same road?
I remember years back when the government asked every driver to get a left hand drive car, people went through a lot of stress to sell off their cars and buy new ones.
Most cars were taken across the border to Uganda to sell them or have them changed. The shift in the change was unnecessary since there was no research to show that there was something wrong with right hand drive cars.
In fact, while browsing the internet, I found that right hand cars have more pros than cons. The top three reasons I came across included; road centering, critics argued that the main reason for a right-hand drive car is so that the driver is situated towards the centre of the road when driving on the left. This makes passing people easier and also makes it easier to judge the amount of distance to either side.
Passenger safety is also another point that was fronted because when a car is parked on the left side of the road, with the passenger on the left side of the car, he has to get out on the sidewalk rather than on the street. This is much safer, particularly with children. With these points, I could go on and on, but let’s also look at the economic aspect of it.
I guess the government would earn more revenue by accepting both right and left hand drive cars. People have various options and are not limited to one choice but refusing them to have the car they want limits their options.
Nothing statistically says that there are more problems associated with right hand drive cars but rather it is a question of how countries were colonised and what the colonisers put in place.
More so, it will provide more options to purchase other brands of cars which are specifically right hand drive cars. It is, as I believe, very instrumental to the country, in terms of increased revenue, society; because people have a choice and the car manufacturers also get to do business.
Ultimately, it’s a win – win situation. If we look at the brighter side of things, we will most likely earn more from having both kinds of cars than just one kind.
The Times
