Roads risky for pedestrians

 STATISTICS on road accidents revealed by the National Road Safety Council show that pedestrians are at a high risk of death, injury and disability.   

The organisation executive director Nelson Terema said this yesterday to mark the United Nations Global Road safety week which runs from May 6 until 12.  

He said pedestrian safety was promoted by establishing various road safety activities that highlighted the dangers pedestrians encountered while using the road.  

Acting deputy director technical division Wilson Wariaka said the NRSC and police accident database showed that 200 to 300 people in the country died in road accidents in a year.

“The figures represent cases that have been reported,” Wariaka said. “Many people don’t report accidents because parties agree to negotiate outside the court thus reports are not filed. 

“Of all pedestrians, 34% of those between the ages one and 15 are involved in road accidents which shows that children are more vulnerable. 

“The road is for everyone to share, drivers must take care and look out for pedestrians on the road, and in turn pedestrians must see school or pedestrian crossing as a privilege and not a right,” Terema said. 

“Both parties have to play their part responsibly to avoid deaths and injuries because road safety is a growing social phenomenon which unfortunately lacks sufficient attention from appropriate individuals and organisations.”