By Vincent Khonje
KASUNGU-(MANA)- If no drastic actions are taken, road traffic accidents in the country will increase by 68 percent by 2030.
Director of road traffic and safety services at the Road Traffic and Safety Services (RTSS) Andrew Sandula said this during the launch of Road Safety and Civic Education Campaign held at Kanganjovu Primary School in Kasungu.
Sandula said with figures pointing towards that worrying direction there is need to put efforts towards road safety.
The rise in these statistics oblige us to return once again to the topic of improving road safety in the country, said Sandula.
According to figures at RTSS Malawi registered a total of 10,799 road accidents in 2020, where 1,110 of these were fatal and 687 were serious.
“Take note that these road crashes are preventable if we follow the set road traffic standards and regulations,
Today is envisaged raise awareness on road safety issues among road users, stakeholders and encourage the community involvement for traffic related injury and death prevention initiatives, said Sandula.
Deputy Minister of transport and public works Nancy Chaola Mdooko graced the launch of the campaign and said the road safety awareness and civic education campaign is deliberate effort by the ministry to promote road safety in the country.
We continue to lose thousands of lives due to road accidents, this is alarming and should not be happening if road users are cautious on the road, said Mdooko.
Pedestrians especially children are also being killed when crossing the roads as they travel to schools or going back home.
Kanganjovu primary school head teacher Chancy Mwale whose school lies along the M1 road close to Bua trading centre said there are frequent road accidents involving learners.
With road safety interventions like the provision of the pedestrian crossing and road signs the learners will be safely crossing the road, said Mwale.
During the campaign launch a pedestrian crossing has been painted on the M1 road to help learners cross, and the school has been provided with scholar patrol equipment to aid learners crossing the road.
The road safety awareness and civic education campaign is targeting schools and road side markets.