DAR ES SALAAM, Sept. 9 -- WHETHER we like it or not, Tanzanias roads are not private playgrounds for bodaboda riders. They are shared public spaces where motorcycles, cars, pedestrians, cyclists and passengers must coexist under the same traffic rules. Yet some riders behave as though speed, zigzagging, dangerous overtaking and sudden lane changes are signs of skill. They are not. They are reckless behaviours that can turn an ordinary journey into a tragedy within seconds.

The law is clear. A commercial motorcycle is permitted to carry one passenger, not two or three. The Land Transport Regulatory Authority (LATRA) regulates commercial motorcycle services and requires compliance with safety standards. Overloading passengers compromises b...