Fix the broken windows

Have you ever heard of the Broken Windows Theory? Well, even if you have, bear with me for a moment. The theory states that if you have an abandoned building with a broken window the likelihood of vandals breaking a few more windows is quite high.

And, that if you ignore the problem long enough, soon all the windows will be broken and the building may soon become a den for unlawful behaviour. The idea is to fix the broken windows to prevent the escalation of crime related to that building. This is a simplified version of the theory but I think you get the general idea.

New York City employed the tenets expounded in this theory when trying to tackle escalating crime in the early 1990s. City authorities started small by stopping fare evaders in the subway system. Then they started to paint over graffiti. Seemingly small issues such as loitering, public urination, etc were all tackled and the crime rate within the city dropped significantly. The reasons for the decline have been hotly debated but the Broken Windows Theory seems to have been a contributor in some form, so much so that other cities across the US have implemented it with similar success. Albuquerque Police Department's Safe Streets Program helped curtail crime and make its roads a safer place by using the basics of the Broken Window Theory.

And how, hopefully, you can see where I'm going.

We are inundated with letters on a daily basis by readers complaining about the disorder on South Africa's roads. We read stories of incorrect indicator use, people with no consideration for fellow motorists, road hogs, taxi drivers with no understanding for the road rules, etc. In the past we have seen taxis scooting down the emergency lane to gain a few places in a traffic queue, or drive through an orange light at high speed. This was confined to taxi drivers, but increasingly "regular" motorists seem to emulate this behaviour because there seems to be no discernible penalty for such transgressions.

This is my suggestion; start with the small violations. Nail every single driver using his/her cellphone illegally. Fine anyone that does not use an indicator. If you stop in the middle of an intersection, which is unlawful even if the traffic light is green, you need to be fined. Place cameras at EVERY major intersection to mete out fines for those that choose to shoot through red lights. Lane straddling, driving continuously in the fast lane, driving too slow on a freeway - issue fines for all these smaller issues.

Theoretically, people will be less inclined to commit larger offences if these smaller ones are heavily policed and dealt with severely. Well, that's the idea anyway. Tackling the "broken windows" will ideally have the effect of reversing the steadily declining quality of driving on local roads.