MVA alarmed by death of children on the roads
Lesedi Mkhutshwa | Tuesday October 25, 2016 15:39
Nkala said this during the launch of the Maradu Primary School Traffic Safety Club.
“Accidents are caused by different human errors such as talking on the cellphone while driving, overtaking for no apparent reasons, over speeding, drunk driving only to name a few,” he said.
He said that the tragic news of children dying on roads is very much alarming.
He revealed that the statistics indicate that from 2013-2015 a total of 168 children aged between 0-20 years died in road accidents. Three of them were drivers, 87 were passengers and 78 were pedestrians.
“We recorded 769 children who sustained severe injuries between 2013-2015, of which 23 were drivers, 437 passengers and 309 pedestrians. People will hear 1,800 times that one of their family members has survived a crash but with serious injuries and perhaps lifelong disability,” he said.
He said that the establishment of traffic safety clubs in schools would prepare children for the future by developing some positive, safe attitudes that will have help them when mature.
Nkala indicated that traffic safety clubs create awareness for the pupils in the road safety precautions.
“Children and adolescents use the road transport system frequently as pedestrians, passengers and cyclists. As present and future road users, they are at risk of injury or death as a result of road crashes caused by inappropriate behaviour and irresponsible attitudes,” he said.
He further said that the Ministry of Basic Education offers traffic safety education at both lower and upper primary schools, which is centred on classroom teaching and learning.
“There is a need to introduce practical components to complement and reinforce classroom teaching and learning. This could be achieved by establishing traffic safety clubs in schools,” he added.
Road Safety clubs were launched at Ikhutseng, Mahube Primary Schools and Setlalekgosi Junior Secondary School.