Let’s keep our children safe on the roads

Road safety is a major challenge all over the world, and Kenya is no exception. Road crashes are the eighth leading cause of death globally and the leading cause of death for young people aged 15–29.

In Kenya, one child is killed on our roads every single day and countless more sustain life-altering injuries. This week, countries all over the world are marking the UN Global Road Safety Week with a call for action to make our roads safer for our children. What needs to be done in Kenya to confront this challenge?

World Health Organisation statistics show that over a third of road traffic deaths in low- and middle-income countries are among pedestrians and cyclists. However, less than a third of these countries have effective policies in place to protect these vulnerable road users. Kenya is no different. Most roads in Kenya, and especially in the Nairobi region, are unsafe for children.

Most children, particularly poorer children, walk unaccompanied to school. This makes them vulnerable, putting them at risk of suffering a road crash injury or death every single day.

No child should be put at risk by the simple act of going to school. Our leaders have an opportunity to take a real step forward in addressing this increasingly tragic problem.

The proposed Road Traffic (Amendment) Bill 2014 seeks to introduce a number of vital new measures to safeguard children against road crashes. Chief among these is the establishment of “safe school zones” which would impose a 30km/h speed limit around schools, as well as other speed-calming and regulating measures.

Research shows that reducing speed near schools can reduce both the number and impact of crashes involving children.

At Handicap International, we see the effect of these injuries to children every day. Crash survivors can suffer from injuries that may lead to temporary or permanent disabilities, or death.

Serious injuries that involve the spine and loss of limbs can have life-long impact on the physical, cognitive, and psychosocial wellbeing of a child.

Such a child may spend a significant amount of time in hospital and as an outpatient in the physiotherapy department. In case of a permanent disability or disfigurement, the child may face social problems at school such as name-calling and bullying, which may affect their education and future employment.

Often, their condition also limits their involvement in school activities, as most schools do not have the right facilities to cater for their special needs. Many fail to cope and opt to drop out of school.

The impact also affects their caregivers. The cost of treatment and care runs down family resources and may lead to lost output, hence decrease in family income. When poor people become ill or injured, their entire household can become trapped in a downward spiral of lost income and high healthcare costs.

When a child loses a limb or is physically challenged, they will need costly assistive devices or prosthesis, which need to be replaced regularly as they grow.

The loss of a child in a road crash is devastating for families. This is why it is necessary to tackle this issue. There is no doubt that the introduction of safe school zones will save the lives of Kenyan children. We call on our National Assembly to pass the Bill to make our roads safer.
Mr Jeroen Stol is the programme director of Handicap International. @JeroenStol