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There is a lot that age gives.

It gives maturity and experience. It gives vital responsibilities and a new, more grounded perspective of life. It gives more wisdom and patience. It reduces one’s “speed.”

Youthfulness often means the opposite of the foregoing. We see this everywhere. In sport, politics, business, on the road etcetera.

In the latter, youthfulness and immaturity have led to broken limbs, tears and fatalities.

Aware of this, the Government on Friday, raised the minimum age at which a person can drive a passenger public service vehicle from 25 to 30 years. Also, a driver must have five years of experience to be able to lawfully drive a passenger public service vehicle.

However, those who are already driving the vehicles in question and are aged between 25 and 30 years can still practise in terms of the regulations whose implementation is with immediate effect.

The new age restriction came about two years since the Government raised it to 25.

When the limit was pegged at 25, authorities had noted that most of the drivers who were being penalised for reckless driving tended to be younger than that age. It must have been noted again that even after 25 but younger than 30, most drivers aren’t mature enough to be trusted to handle passenger public service vehicles hence the Government’s decision to further increase the threshold to 30 and older.

This is a very important move considering the magnitude of the job that passenger public drivers do. They drive vehicles loaded with up to 75 people at a time; not timber, cement or quarry. They drive people who, in case of crashes, can get injured, in worst cases, can lose their lives.

To ensure greater public safety, only the mature can do this onerous job of driving passenger public vehicles. Yes, the under 30s can continue driving personal vehicles or trucks carrying quarry, steel and so on. In the unfortunate case of an accident occurring, chances are that it is only the driver and his cargo who gets injured or damaged, not a bus-load of passengers.

As with all regulations, we implore police and the Vehicle Inspection Department to be resolute in enforcing this new rule.

Vehicle Inspection Department

It is equally important for public passenger vehicle operators to only employ drivers who are fully qualified to do the job. Everything begins with them at recruitment stage.

The new age restriction will make our roads safer too if operators ensure that their vehicles are always roadworthy.

They, too, must not overwork their drivers.

Our roads must be trafficable. The Traffic Safety Council of Zimbabwe must continue discharging its mandate.