Slow down, save lives
http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-metroplus/article2930082.ece
February 25, 2012
Going by the number of hit-and-run accidents involving animals that we see every day, it might appear that most vehicle drivers do not consider the lives of animals precious. On our roads, we regularly see three-legged dogs, one-eyed dogs, kittens and puppies with permanent pelvic damage and cows and bulls with broken hips. This is because of the increasing number of vehicles on the road and the fact that many of us do not think about sparing a moment to bend down and check whether an animal is lying down under a vehicle or not.
When we reverse a vehicle, do we take care to check if there's an animal sleeping behind it? And we almost never bother to slow down when an animal is crossing the road. A common response to this situation is “they will run away when they hear the sound of the vehicle”. The truth is their legs are no match for our vehicle's speeds. It's important to remember that the animal might already be injured or might be unwell, making it impossible for it to get up and run away from a dangerous situation. Older animals might have poor hearing and cannot hear the sounds of vehicles in time and will therefore not be able to react with quick reflexes. With more and more skyscrapers, sources of natural shade are often non-existent in cities. Homeless animals have no choice but to take refuge under vehicles for temporary shade. If we aren't careful, their short-lived sense of relief will be followed by a painful death.
We exist in a world where there are often no caretakers of injured animals. People who spend even a few hundreds to nurse injured animals back to health are a rarity. Therefore, we must do our best not to injure them in the first place. Spare just a fraction of a moment to check for resting animals under vehicles or while reversing, and press the brakes or slow down when an animal is crossing the road.
Write to info@voiceforanimals.info to receive an email with some specially designed, printable car stickers that spread the message of compassionate driving.
(For further details, email to metropetpassion@gmail.com with your city and number)
JANNET PRABHA
