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ore than 30 accidents, roughly one each day, have occurred along the newly operated Cipali toll road connecting Cikopo and Palimanan in West Java before and after its inauguration on June 13. The latest and deadliest crash took place on Monday, when a minivan caught fire after it rammed into a truck parked in the emergency lane. As of Tuesday, seven passengers have died as a result of the accident, while four others remain in a critical condition.

That traffic accidents have frequently occurred along the 116 kilometer toll road should give us cause for concern as millions of holiday revelers will soon stream onto the country'€™s longest turnpike en route to their hometowns. The annual homecoming ritual will begin in the next few days. For the sake of safety, critics, including lawmakers, have demanded that the government and the toll road operator take all actions possible to ensure the upcoming Idul Fitri exodus is free from accidents.

Construction of the toll road, which is part of the Trans- Java Highway, had been accelerated to facilitate the journey of homeward-bound holiday travelers. The road will save commuters roughly two hours compared with traveling along the conventional northern coastal route.

Officials have said that the toll road will shave 40 percent off the northern coast road'€™s burden, assisting in the movement of humans and goods. The toll road is expected to lessen the traffic gridlock that used to plague the coastal road during the annual Idul Fitri exodus and its return.

The toll road lacked basic safety features, such as street lights, markers, guard rails and posts when it was opened to the public last month. Construction of some rest areas was also still underway at that time. However, as of Monday, Hudaya Arryanto, deputy director of the toll road operator PT Lintas Marga Sedaya, claimed that all supporting facilities were in place, including two gas stations.

In most of the traffic accidents the National Police have recorded so far, the human factor was to blame rather than a lack of road safety facilities. Exhaustion, drowsiness and sometimes the influence of drugs triggered toll road accidents.

Many seem to be unaware that most accidents are avoidable if drivers comply with traffic and safety rules, regardless of the presence of traffic signs or police. As in the case of the fatal accident on Monday, the minivan driver was overtaking a car from the left, only to meet the parking truck. The failure to follow a very basic traffic rule resulted in a terrible loss of life.

The accident speaks volumes about the discipline that most drivers, ranging from less educated public transportation drivers to highly educated luxury car owners, lack. Violations are rampant partly because traffic police are largely absent. This should further raise the question of the eligibility of countless drivers to hold a license, which is easily obtained through the exchange of money.

Without discipline on the part of drivers, Cipali, as well as other roads, will quickly turn into a highway to heaven.