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The Rhodesia Herald,

 January 28, 1972

A 66-YEAR-OLD woman who has been driving for 35 years was ordered to surrender her licence yesterday.

Elsie Sophia Cathrina Maria Strydom of Manyame, was found guilty in Gwelo Magistrate’s Court of negligent driving.

She was fined $5 in addition to surrendering her licence. Strydom, a pensioner, said she needed her licence to drive to Gwelo once a week to do her shopping.

The provincial magistrate, Mr John Redgment said she could take a driving test in 120 days. If she passes, her licence would be returned.

Evidence was that on November 26 last year, Strydom overtook a car on the Salisbury road near Gwelo in the face of an oncoming lorry. The car she overtook had to leave the road to avoid an accident.

Strydom, represented by Mr B. Marshall of Gwelo, pleaded not guilty. Mr W Dayton prosecuted.

LESSONS FOR TODAY

Bad driving should not be tolerated because it does not only endanger the life of the perpetrator, but those of other drivers and people such as passengers and pedestrians.

The judiciary should not be lenient on bad drivers; they should always apply harsh sentences that will act as a deterrent to other drivers. This is particularly true for today’s drivers who are wantonly disregarding road rules and causing unnecessary accidents and are getting light sentences.

Bus drivers in particular have been notorious for causing accidents that have claimed the lives of a lot of people due to speeding and overtaking in front of on-coming traffic.

Experience is no substitute for caution. Actually, the more experienced that the driver is, the more caution they should exercise on the road. Most accidents today are caused by overzealous drivers who believe that their experience entitles them to be reckless and a law unto themselves on the road.

There is need for retesting of drivers from time to time to ensure that they continuously observe road rules. The Government should make it mandatory for all drivers, not just those driving public service vehicles, to take defensive driving courses periodically.