Tech curbing corruption: Road Rules introduces traffic fines feature

Great news to all you drivers and future drivers! I am pleased to announce that we have moved a step forward in combating one of the anti-progress diseases we have in Africa – corruption. Road Rules has introduced a new feature called ‘traffic fines’ solving one of the biggest problems that drivers have – lack of knowledge.

Basically it gives you a comprehensive list of both major and minor offences as well as their maximum fines so you do not have to be “tricked” into paying more than you should or better still, you do not have to be fined for a non-existent offence.

The Road Rules mobile application’s latest feature comes in handy especially now that the fines were raised recently. Such updates on traffic fines etc. have been much more difficult to access since most homes no longer watch the national television station (ZTV) preferring instead to watch DStv and OpenView HD. As a result, some corrupt traffic officers can easily take advantage of this by feeding off of people’s ignorance regarding traffic fines.

Ignorance has always been a problem on the roads ofcourse. Drivers, for example for a season were being forced or threatened into paying spot fines; which turned out to be unlawful. But because drivers were unaware of it, the police officers doing this got away with it.

There is a saying that goes “what you don’t know doesn’t kill you”, but in this case, it certainly can rip you off! Ignorance on traffic offences and fines has resulted in some drivers being over-charged for particular offenses, while some have had previously inexistent offences specially crafted for them on the spot – usually just so that they resort to the bribing option. Hopefully this Road Rules app helps in a big way.

Some might be wondering to what extent this feature is going to curb traffic corruption. Well, I say to the extent at which people are willing to read and know the information contained. The appearance of the application is constantly upgraded to make it more appealing to the users (based on user feedback) and also, the information is packaged in such a way that it is easy to read – so you have no excuse.

If not do away with corruption, then at least increase the leverage of the driver in the negotiation that ensues after you’re stopped at a roadblock. Indeed, if a significant number of people prove to be aware of what the law considers to be traffic offences as well as the fines for them, even the ignorant will somehow be saved since the corrupt officers, for fear of being busted, will be forced to stick to the stipulated standards of operation.