By Priscilla Phiri and Hastings Yobe

Lilongwe, July 10, Mana: Imagine the sound of screeching tires, crunch of metal, and shattering glasses still echoing in your mind long after a road accident.

Imagine reliving the same horrific moment every time you get behind the wheel, or even just hearing the sound of a car driving by.

This is the reality of many road users in the country, behind closed doors, a hidden battle rages.

This battle is not fought with swords or guns but with memories that refuse to fade.

Road traffic accidents, a common occurrence in the country’s roads, leave scars that run deeper than a broken bone.

For those who survive the twisted metal and shattered glass, a different kind of trauma awaits, one that lingers long after the sirens fade.

Malawi News Agency (Mana) explores the often-hidden aftermaths of road accidents, the struggles of living with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and the bravery of those who are fighting to reclaim their lives as they find ways to heal.

 Alice Banda, 27, is a resident in the City of Lilongwe and a survivor of a devastating road accident which took place within the town of Lilongwe in 2021 and this is her life.

The physical scars healed, but the emotional ones still remain raw and unrelenting.

“I am always afraid to travel long distances because every time I travel by car, I get flashbacks of a car accident that I was involved in two years ago, I am even afraid to drive because I fear that I may end up in an accident,” she revealed.

Although Alice has on several occasions shared her experiences with her loved ones, she still feels alone and helpless as those that she trusts the most do not realise the damage that the accident she was once involved in made.

“It is depressing because I do not know what to do to get my life back. The hardest part is that those that are around me take it lightly and they do not understand the severity of the psychological trauma that the accident left me with,” she lamented.

Alice is not alone and thousands like her in the country grapple with PTSD with lives altered by the merciless roads. 

A Mzuzu City resident, Madalitso Banda, 23 fights the same battle silently.

“I did not know that this was a psychological condition, but ever since I was hit by a motorcycle, my life has never been the same, I panic every time I cross the road and I do not like walking around town to hang out with friends because I cannot stop myself from recalling the accident.

The condition has affected my social life as I prefer staying home after school,” he said.

PTSD is characterised by failure to recover after experiencing or witnessing a terrifying event.

The condition may last months or years, with triggers that can bring back memories of the trauma accompanied by intense emotional and physical reactions.

 According to research, a staggering 954 people were estimated to have been affected by road trauma in Ntcheu district alone in 2018, with 173 lives lost.

Yet, shockingly, official records vastly underreport these numbers, with Police data capturing only 11 percent of cases and hospital records accounting for a mere 14 percent.

This means that hundreds of survivors, like Alice and Madalitso, are silently struggling with the emotional scars of their ordeal, including the debilitating symptoms of PTSD.

According to Psychologist at Harmony Wellness Solutions, Henry Mwale, PTSD affects a person’s thinking, feelings and behaviour making it difficult for patients to fully function in their day to day lives.

“The most common symptoms that most road traffic accident victims come with are flashbacks, they may think that they are reliving the whole trauma or have intrusive thoughts like they are going through the whole accident again,

Some may have troubling dreams and find it difficult sleeping others may develop avoidance of the things that remind them of the trauma for example they may avoid the places that the accident happened or the activities that remind them of the accident like driving or conversations that may remind them of such incidents.

He emphasised that victims develop PTSD symptoms at different time frames after the accident.

 “It is important to note that people develop PTSD symptoms at different time periods, some may develop the symptoms immediately after the traffic accident, while others may do so three months after the accident,

So it is important to come for assessment so that we see how they are coping and start the interventions once diagnosis has been done because such patients feel like they are not safe all because they are failing to process what happened hence therapy is important as it helps to restructure their thoughts and beliefs,” Mwale said.

He advises victims of road traffic accidents with PTSD condition to be open and talk about their experiences because distressful experiences open a door to addictions as victims try to find coping mechanism that are harmful to their wellbeing.

Psychologist encourages health workers to refer road traffic accident victims to therapy for their mental wellness.

“Do not overlook PTSD, because the condition is real and no one is immune to it, people need to know that their reactions are normal to abnormal events, so whenever they go through traumatic situations they should go for check up to see if they have PTSD and get helped professionally,” Mwale firmed.

Mental Health expert, Georgina Kanyanda said there was need for more awareness from the medical profession to keep Malawians informed on issues to do with disorders for them to be properly addressed.

In a bid to curb road accidents in the country, government together with stakeholders are taking action in creating awareness on the relevance of road safety in saving lives and property.

According to Senior Road and Transport Officer for South Directorate of Road Traffic on Safety Services (DRTSS), Edwin Chikamba, the topic of road accidents should be taken seriously.

“It is a high time that people start realising the graveness of the situation and take action, road safety should be one of the most talked about topics amongst people to raise awareness.

It is sad to note that people think adhering to road safety information is only for those working for road traffic and drivers on the contrary, every person regardless of their status in society is a road user and should take full responsibility when using the road,” he said.

All in all, no one ought to live their lives in despair and fear of what may happen to them on the road.

It is high time Malawians took road safety seriously bearing in mind that their safety is the safety of other road users.

The silent struggle against PTSD and haunting memories underscores the true cost of road trauma.

As the country seek ways to heal and reclaim lives, Malawians have a responsibility to drive with caution and empathy making the country’s roads safer for everyone to arrive alive.