What should be done to make roads safer for pedestrians? 

More traffic lights have been installed in residential areas of Vientiane to make it easier for people to cross roads and also ease traffic congestion. But motorists and pedestrians continue with dangerous habits, with many people failing to use zebra crossings and drivers not stopping for pedestrians. Vientiane Times asked around to get people’s thoughts on this perennial problem.

Ms Soukvilay, a resident of Sisattanak district, Vientiane: It’s normal for towns in Laos to face this problem. I think it's quite hard to resolve this issue because most drivers don’t respect the traffic regulations. Even though the authorities are trying to improve matters, the situation remains pretty chaotic and accidents occur as a result. I urge everyone to have greater awareness of the traffic regulations and to be more considerate of other people and pay attention to safety.  

Mr Daeng, a government official in Xaythany district, Vientiane: As we all know, the number of vehicles increases every year and I’m worried about the safety of children when crossing roads. Some schools have police or security guards to help with this, which is good, but a lot of schools don’t. I think all schools located near busy roads need someone to supervise children when they arrive at and leave school. If this were the case, parents wouldn't need to take their children across roads and instead could park on the roadside to drop off their children, which would help to reduce congestion. Having a designated person to help out in this situation would certainly help to keep students safe when crossing roads. 

Ms Souksavanh Vonalith, a resident of Xaysettha district, Vientiane: I think the behaviour of drivers needs a great deal of improvement. All motorists should be careful when driving near markets, hospitals and schools because these areas are very crowded and the risk of accidents increases. I’d also like to ask drivers to stop when they see people waiting to cross a road. Another problem is that most drivers don’t pay attention to safety measures, such as wearing a helmet and using seatbelts. I think all drivers should pay greater attention to safety to reduce the risk of accidents. And everyone should be more careful when crossing roads and always use a zebra crossing if possible. 

Mr Sith, a resident of Luang Prabang province: I always see people walk across roads without using a zebra crossing. They don’t seem to understand that this increases the risk of accidents, especially people coming to towns from rural areas. Of course, there isn't as much traffic in rural areas as in towns, but everyone should be aware of the traffic regulations so that accidents are prevented. I think it’s good idea to install traffic lights so that people can cross roads in safety, but the lights have to work properly. And more are needed in the provinces, not just in Vientiane.

By Lamphone Pasanthong
(Latest Update January 27, 2022)