By force if not by own will

The Greater Amman Municipality installed cameras on main thoroughfares and at street corners to capture as many violations — particularly traffic — as possible, in a bid to lower the number of accidents responsible for the injury and death of many citizens.

According to municipality officials, the move led to a dramatic decrease in road violations.

In the Abu Nuseir area, for example, the number of violations dropped from 108 to 38 within one month, according to GAM data.

About 22 new cameras in different districts of the capital registering some 3,400 traffic violations the first day they were put to use, giving a sample of the gravity of the problem.

While the purpose of these cameras is to deter violations, the problem is that most of them are visible, being installed at traffic lights or as mobile radar units.

Once drivers get the know where they are, they are bound to observe traffic rules around these locations, but resume speeding — the most frequent violation responsible for the most casualties — once outside their range.

There are even those complaining that having the cameras take photos of their cars and the people in them violates their privacy; some have gone to court over the issue, where, incidentally, they are unlikely to go too far.

Loss of privacy is accused in many countries that took measures to preserve security, yet it is regarded as the price to pay for safety.

That argument aside, even if the number of cameras were to go up incrementally throughout the country, a costly endeavour, no doubt, they will not be efficient as long as the culture and mentality of the population does not change.

As long as individuals get away with disregarding the rule of law, they will continue to violate it.

And here is the crux of the matter.

Civic education — at home, at school, among peers — is important to instilling values in citizens.

At the same time, enforcing respect for the law fairly is absolutely important.

Observance of the law, by force if necessary, will make it become second nature and in a generation, ours will become law-abiding citizens, a great transformation from which the entire society stands to benefit.