Expensive Cars, Empty Heads: Traffic Culture That Leads to Death

(Patria) - How did we get to the point of having increasingly frequent reckless driving with fatal outcomes? Why is there a lack of traffic culture, but also a lack of life culture? Sociologist Vladimir Vasić, who has worked for many years with convicts serving sentences for serious traffic accidents, spoke about these topics on N1.

"There was rarely reckless driving before"

"Unfortunately, I have experience both as a participant in traffic accidents and in working with convicted persons. Just this morning, as I was heading to the studio, I was thinking about how 12 years ago I worked at the Juvenile Correctional Facility. One thing I noticed among those convicted of endangering public traffic was that 90% of them were under the influence of alcohol. But nowhere, analyzing the current situation, have I noticed reckless driving under the influence of narcotics and psychotropic substances, nor driving in the city center three or four times over the speed limit. So, these were usually traffic accidents caused, of course, by excessive speed, under the influence of alcohol, but there were rarely cases where someone came with the clear intention of reckless driving, of that aggressive behavior we see here," said Vasić.

"No Reverence in Traffic"

He points out that in Sarajevo, we see how much violence there is, and when drivers who cause serious accidents are arrested, they are usually individuals "previously known to the police".

"They have a record. So, these are individuals who are not only delinquents in traffic but clearly have deviant behavior in the community. However, the convicted individuals I spoke with were usually men, mostly from Krajina, who were either farmers or had stayed out longer than they should have, meaning they were not deviant individuals in that sense. They are predominantly young men. I appeal to parents and novice drivers to think a little more in that direction, to protect their lives, to protect the lives of others. But what is truly devastating today is that young people, without any control, without any reverence in traffic, consume alcohol, consume narcotics, perhaps trying to present themselves as dangerous and brave in society, and in the end, we see, as happened the other day near Mostar, that three young lives were extinguished," said Vasić.

Increase in Violence

He pointed out that he has noticed more violence in traffic, as well as deviant behavior, in the last 10 years.

When asked why this is the case, he said that the system must react more comprehensively.

"Systemic failures – from the way driving tests are conducted, medical examinations, individuals previously known to the police, etc.," he said.

"One Foot in the Grave When We Get Behind the Wheel"

Speaking about parents who buy expensive and powerful cars for their children who have just passed their driving test, he said that it is all fine, but that children must be aware: "All of us who drive have one foot in the grave and the other in prison when we get behind the wheel."

"There are cases where there are expensive cars and empty heads. And then, if you add alcohol to that, add some psychoactive substances to such empty and crazy heads, then you get what you get. Unfortunately, of course, there are also unfortunate cases, there are unfortunate circumstances. I myself have been involved in three traffic accidents where it was truly pure misfortune without alcohol and, of course, without drugs, for me and the other participant in the accident. But we simply must act systemically in that direction.

It is commendable that the authorities in Sarajevo are making efforts through the system of installing cameras at every intersection and increased police controls, but we simply need to influence young people, teenagers, their parents, to become more literate in traffic matters. Because it is truly a lack of culture above all, and arrogance, that recklessness that takes lives," Vasić concluded.