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Since Monday, the world has been marking the seventh UN World Highway Security Week, an necessary occasion that presents stakeholders with a significant alternative to deal with the dangers of street site visitors and to take motion to enhance security on our roads.
The biennial marketing campaign, hosted by the World Well being Group (WHO) on the theme “Sustainable Transport”, makes a case for governments to rethink mobility and facilitate a shift to strolling, biking and utilizing public transport.
By investing in these choices, it’s anticipated that there could be a more healthy and extra equitable society. Moreover, it calls on international locations to prioritize street security for all street customers, particularly these most susceptible, together with youngsters, individuals with disabilities, and pedestrians. When designed with these customers in thoughts, it’s believed that street networks might create protected environments for all to maneuver round cities with ease.
The slogan, #RethinkMobility, highlights the significance of reworking present transportation techniques to stop street crashes and promote protected mobility.
World state of affairs
With street site visitors accidents persevering with to be a number one reason for demise and incapacity worldwide, the significance of spreading consciousness about street security and accident prevention has by no means been extra essential.
Regardless of the various efforts which have been put in place over time, street site visitors accidents proceed to pose a major menace to folks aged 5-29 years, in response to the WHO.
The organisation estimates that 1.3 million deaths happen annually, and as many as 50 million individuals are injured. Extremely, one out of each 4 deaths amongst pedestrians and cyclists could be attributed to street site visitors.
With the Decade of Motion for Highway Security 2021-2030 already underway, the World Plan displays a daring goal of decreasing street site visitors deaths and accidents by 50% inside a decade.
That is an formidable objective, however one that may be achieved by addressing the entire transport system by guaranteeing protected roads, automobiles, and behaviours, in addition to bettering emergency care companies.
Ghanaian model
In Ghana, we see the heartbreaking toll that street crashes proceed to tackle the nation’s residents. Knowledge offered by the Nationwide Highway Security Authority (NRSA) signifies that 2,373 folks misplaced their lives in 14,960 street crashes final 12 months, with an extra 15,690 folks injured.
A complete of 25,754 automobiles had been concerned in crashes, with 8,645 industrial automobiles, 11,677 non-public automobiles, and 5,432 bikes represented.
Moreover, 2,680 pedestrians had been struck and injured whereas strolling alongside or crossing the roads.
It’s alarming to notice that occupants of bikes accounted for almost half of all fatalities, with 974 deaths in 2022 alone.
Though there was some lower within the information when in comparison with the earlier 12 months, the numbers underscore the pressing want for efficient options to advertise protected, sustainable transportation for all Ghanaians
The street situations in some elements of the nation usually are not ideally suited, with quite a few points that may make travelling a dangerous endeavour for street customers.
A number of the main issues within the nation by way of street security are the breakdown of site visitors lights and faint street markings, making it troublesome for drivers to navigate by means of the roads. Furthermore, damaged down avenue lights can lead to darkish and unsafe roads for pedestrians and different customers.
Streetlights/ site visitors alerts
In December 2021, the NRSA expressed concern concerning the normal state of site visitors alerts and streetlights on a number of the city street networks throughout the nation. In response to the NRSA, these points improve the vulnerability of street customers, particularly pedestrians, to street site visitors crashes and their related accidents and deaths.
The Authority recognized non-functional lights throughout the nation that very same 12 months. Larger Accra accounted for the best proportion of non-functional site visitors lights at 48%, adopted by Ashanti, Central, and Western areas. Though a number of the mild and site visitors alerts could have been fastened, the difficulty persists as media homes proceed to report on such points.
Footbridges/ pedestrians
For nicely over a month, pedestrians have been left susceptible to the whims of reckless drivers because of the inoperative second site visitors mild after the Las Palmas junction at Lapaz within the nationwide capital Accra. Despite the fact that a handful of site visitors wardens sometimes present as much as regulate the site visitors movement within the evenings, their presence just isn’t constant. Moreover, the few footbridges scattered alongside the stretch of the street are uncomfortably spaced, making it inconvenient for pedestrians to make use of them. With every passing day, the wire mesh that serves as a security barrier within the median of the street dwindles, pushing pedestrians to improvise new perilous routes to cross the busy avenue.
For anybody who has resided in Ghana within the final half-decade, the Madina incident involves thoughts when footbridges are talked about. In a bid to cut back pedestrian Knockdowns, these constructions had been constructed following a number of public protests, however their perceived inconvenience made pedestrians reluctant to make use of them. This can be a traditional instance of the necessity to marry comfort with security within the improvement of street security interventions.
Biking
This 12 months’s celebration additionally sheds mild on biking security. In Accra, site visitors congestion is a standard prevalence, and it is not unusual to see pedestrians and cyclists struggling to navigate their means by means of busy roads. Nonetheless, regardless of the quite a few advantages of biking, it typically receives extra consideration when it is linked to sports activities. Ghana has hosted a number of biking tournaments. However relating to transportation, biking is seldom talked about as a mode of transport. That is unlucky as a result of it’s an eco-friendly and environment friendly strategy to cut back site visitors and preserve people wholesome.
Like in Denmark’s capital metropolis, Copenhagen,
funding in biking infrastructure would be sure that roads in Accra and different metropolis centres are re-engineered to accommodate bicycles. It will present various transportation choices and decongest the roads whereas bettering security for pedestrians and cyclists alike.
One could say that suggestion is a lofty concept on condition that the designated lanes for Speedy Bus Transit have proved futile in reaching their function of selling mass transportation and minimizing site visitors jams.
Time to rethink mobility
The seventh UN World Highway Security Week is a time for people, governments, and stakeholders to return collectively and rethink mobility. With street site visitors accidents being a significant reason for demise and incapacity all over the world, it’s essential to prioritize sustainable transport as a means of stopping street crashes and selling protected mobility.
The governments may help by prioritizing strolling, biking, and public transport. This may be accomplished by offering devoted bike lanes and pedestrian walkways and having fixed public consciousness campaigns on street security. People may also play an element by obeying site visitors legal guidelines, carrying seatbelts, avoiding distractions whereas driving, and limiting their velocity. Moreover, prioritizing strolling and biking might cut back carbon emissions and promote more healthy life.
By prioritizing sustainable transport, we are able to cut back the variety of street site visitors accidents and promote protected mobility. It is time for everybody to #RethinkMobility and work collectively to create a safer and extra sustainable future.
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