Addis AbebaAfricaEthiopiaRoad Saftey

News: Amidst increasing fatal accidents Addis Abeba releases first ever status report on road safety

Addis Abeba, March 09/2917 – Officials in Ethiopia’s capital city today released the findings of a detailed study on the burden of its road crash deaths. In a press conference attended by Mayor Diriba Kuma, Mayor of the capital Addis Abeba, and other city officials, data from the first annual Road Safety in Addis Abeba Status Report was presented at a meeting of the Bloomberg Philanthropies Initiative for Global Road Safety partners.

According to the key findings in the report, in 2016 alone “463 road crash fatalities occurred in Addis Abeba”, which is roughly 13.8 deaths per 100,000 people. “While fatalities are increasing, given the rapid urbanization and growth of the city’s population, this rate remains relatively steady, though significant underreporting is likely.”

Pedestrians accounted for 80 percent of all road deaths, a number due in large part to the fact that just 14 percent of city roads were rated acceptable for pedestrian safety, as well as the high prevalence of risky driver behavior, mainly speeding and drink driving, the report said. “An overwhelming number of crashes (99.2 percent) involve male drivers, with the highest proportion of fatal crashes involving public taxis (23 percent) and 26 percent of fatal crashes involving drivers with less than two years of driving experience.”

As of July 2016, 5.9 percent of drivers stopped at sobriety checkpoints had a blood alcohol content (BAC) above the legal limit, only one in three motorcycle riders wore helmets correctly, seatbelt use was very low among private vehicle passengers, and 40 percent of vehicles were observed to be driving above the speed limit.

The data in the report comes from three principle sources: observational surveys conducted by Johns Hopkins University, assessments made by the International Road Assessment Program (iRAP), and crash data from the Addis Abeba Police Commission.

“Road trauma represents nothing less than a public health crisis on the city’s roads,” Diriba Kuma said. “A systematic, ongoing response is required to stabilize, reduce and ultimately eliminate fatalities and serious injuries on our roads. Road trauma is not inevitable. It can and must be prevented.”

As one of the 10 cities participating in the Bloomberg Philanthropies Initiative for Global Road Safety, Addis Abeba is working with international partners to enact measurable remedies to the city’s crash burden. City leaders also unveiled a 13-year Road Safety Strategy today that outlines several steps to be taken to make Addis Abeba safer, particularly for pedestrians. These interventions include reduced speed limits in areas of high pedestrian activity, improved road design, greater enforcement of traffic laws and increased penalties for violators, hard-hitting mass media campaigns and stricter licensing requirements for commercial vehicle operators.

According to José Luis Castro, President and CEO of Vital Strategies, a global public health organization that seeks to accelerate progress on the world’s most pressing health problems, “Poor street design and dangerous road behaviors, especially speeding and drink driving, continue to create an unsafe environment on Addis Abeba’s roads”. He further said that this was particularly true for pedestrians, “who make up an overwhelming share of road crash victims in a city where walking is still the most common form of transportation.”

Mr. Castro also said the new report identifies several areas that need significant improvement, and Vital Strategies was encouraged by the city’s commitment to addressing these concerns through the proactive road safety measures it is undertaking. “This epidemic won’t be solved overnight, but slow, steady and determined progress is possible as long as the commitment to these remedies remains steadfast.”

Dr. Kelly Henning, Bloomberg Philanthropies Public Health Program Director, on her part said that millions of road traffic fatalities and injuries can be prevented through stronger laws, more effective enforcement and better infrastructure. “In our experience working on road safety with 10 cities across Latin America, Africa, and Asia, we know that these measures save lives and make cities safer places to work and live,” Dr. Kelly.

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Cover picture: Cattle occupying a busy street in Addis Abeba

Photo: Addis Standard
Original story source: Vital Strategies

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