Road safety experts and child rights activists have called upon the government to swiftly address the rising children deaths on the road. Road safety experts were shocked to learn that children deaths in road crashes increased by more than 200 and there are no swift efforts being done by relevant authorities to address the fatalities.
Traffic police statistics which were not contained in the annual crime report so that children deaths on the road increased from 650 in 2022 to 872 in 2023 which was an increase of 222 more deaths. Mable Tomusange, a road safety expert and found of Consult Africa Usalama said addressing the children deaths on the road requires data break down which police rarely does and also needs efforts which are both short term and long term.
“This number of children dying on the road every year is too alarming. We appreciate the police for giving us this data because it helps us know what is happening to our children while they are on the road. But we can address this problem if the data is giving us who are the most affected children in terms of age group and where did these children get crashed. Were they walking? Were they standing? Were they on a Bodaboda?” Tomusange said.
The road safety experts and children rights activists were attending a consultative meeting on the development of safe school guidelines which are being drafted by technical person in government ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) supported by Hope for Victims of Traffic Accidents (HOVITA).
Sam Bambanza, a road safety expert and founder of HOVITA, said the police data lacks the informative aspect regarding the time the crashes involving children occur, adding that it is something they are trying to discuss with the enforcers of law and order so that in the future it can be catered for.
Bambanza explained that safe school zone guidelines will also be used to guide road construction, licensing and issuance of school construction permits and also developing speed calming measures for both children, teachers, parents and nearby community.
“The safe school zone guidelines will inform school proprietors on how and where to set a school gate for pedestrian children and those who come in vehicles. If the school is near the road, the guidelines will show these owners that the gates are supposed to be built at points with less traffic,” Bambanza said.
According to Fred Tumwine, the chairman of Road Safety and Advocacy Coalition Uganda (RASACU), and founder of Uganda Road Accident Reduction Organization Network (URRENO), the safe school zone guidelines will be effective if much sensitization is done so that they are not shelved like many previous laws, policies and regulations.
“We have so many schools in built up areas and we need to sensitize drivers and law enforcers should be in position to enforce the prescribed speed limits. We need to have basic children safety standards,” Tumwine said.
Cuthbert and Tomusange also demanded for speed limits inside schools since some parents speed risking children safety. However, Bambanza and some road safety experts said it would require sensitizing school owners and administrators to understand that the onus is on them to enforce speed limits inside school environments.