Remembering the human lives behind road tragedies

LETTER: I know what it feels like to be inside a horrific road crash. I was seriously injured and trapped inside the wreckage, caused by a mechanical failure. It took approximately four hours to rescue me, an eternity when you are trapped inside a mangled vehicle, injured, frightened and uncertain about what will happen next. The firefighters worked tirelessly to get me out. The paramedics worked alongside them, doing everything they could to keep me safe. Yet there is something about that day that still troubles me. I sometimes wonder whether someone took a photograph while i was trapped. That is why i found Syed Mohammed Idid Syed Ahmed Idid's recent letter, "A man died. Why the laughing emoji?" particularly meaningful, reminding us that behind every road accident is a human life, and that ultimately, we all want to get home safely at the end of the day. I would like to add another perspective to his message. Whenever an accident happens, many seem unable to resist becoming investigators and photographers. People begin making assumptions about the driver, the vehicle and what must have happened. "He must have been speeding." "She must have been careless." "People who drive that type of car are always like this." The question should be, "What happened in the moments before the crash, and what caused the chain of events?" This distinction matters when considering the recent tragedy on the East Coast Expressway. On Aug 31, an 11-vehicle collision near Lanchang, Temerloh claimed four lives, including Nur Atiqah Sofiya Mohd Kazwan, her husband Muhammad Nazatul Nazmi, both 32, and their four-year-old son, Armaan Nazeef. Another victim was also killed, while three others were injured. The circumstances and cause remain matters for the authorities to establish. Nur Atiqah was the owner of Secangkir Cafe in Sungai Karang, Kuantan. Her family later decided that the cafe would operate for the final time on Sept 4. They explained that they could not continue what she had created, particularly the cakes and recipes that were uniquely hers. That affected me deeply. As a crash survivor, i have become more cautious about judging people involved in road accidents. This is why i echo Syed Mohammed Idid's hope that we all get home safely at the end of the day. We need a better road-safety culture. One that encourages people to stop and help rather than stop and photograph. Perhaps that is the message we should carry forward from Syed Mohammed Idid's letter. Stop treating tragedy as entertainment, speculation or an invitation to judge. DR MARZIAH ZAHAR Senior Lecturer School of Business Management Universiti Utara Malaysia