Siyavuya Mzantsi
THE provincial Department of Transport and Public Works, along with ChildSafe SA, have launched The Walk This Way project to decrease the number of child pedestrians injured in road accidents near schools.
The project, as part of Global Road Safety week, is aimed at increasing pupils’ road safety knowledge through educational sessions, as well as to increase the number of pupils making use of pedestrian crossings.
Six pedestrians were among 13 people killed on Western Cape roads at the weekend. A total of 414 people have died on the province’s roads from January to April 30. Of the fatalities, 198 were pedestrians.
Walk This Way project manager Najuwa Arendse said the initiative would focus on assessing safety in three school zone areas.
The project would be implemented at five selected schools, with about 1 000 pupils per school from Khayelitsha, Delft and the Kraaifontein area, where incidents occurred regularly.
Motorists would have to travel at a reduced average speed near these schools, which would be used as examples to other schools and organisations for improved safety through systematic effort.
She said: “The project aims to reduce child pedestrian injuries and deaths in South Africa.
“In addition, it reaches the parents of these learners, teachers and the community in which the project will be taking place.”
Transport and Public Works spokesperson Siphesihle Dube said almost half of road deaths in the Western Cape involved pedestrians.
Dube said children continued to bear the brunt of irresponsible and reckless behaviour seen in the roads – with many being knocked down or killed.
“According to the World Health Organisation, road deaths are now the leading cause of premature deaths among young people aged 15 to 29 and rank high among the leading causes of deaths globally.
“As part of our Safely Home campaign, we have been committed to addressing the very serious threats to safety that children face on our roads,” he said.