According to a recent report by the World Health Organization, poor compliance with road safety standards in Africa has led to a significant increase in road accident deaths over the past decade.
In 2021 alone, 250,000 lives were lost due to road accidents on the continent.
The report, published in July 2024, also highlighted inadequate post-crash care services in most African countries, with fewer than one-third meeting recommended levels for pre-hospital care, emergency care, and rehabilitation services.
Between 2010 and 2021, the region saw a 17 percent rise in road-related fatalities, despite accounting for only 15 percent of the global population and three percent of its vehicles.
The report attributed this trend to multiple factors, including insufficient road safety laws and standards, with most data systems in Africa only capturing road-related deaths and not injuries or their severity.
While road traffic deaths have been decreasing in other regions, the death toll in Africa continues to climb, with a 17 percent increase in road-related fatalities in the past decade.
Males aged 15 to 64 years are the most affected by road traffic accidents, with vulnerable road users like motorcyclists, cyclists, and pedestrians at particular risk. The report emphasized the need for improved road safety laws and practices to prevent unnecessary loss of life on Africa’s roads.
The WHO said, “However, Africa remains one of the fastest-growing markets for used vehicles, with total vehicle registrations nearly doubling and two- and three-wheel vehicle registrations tripling since the 2013 Status Report.
“Only 13 countries have national strategies to promote walking and cycling. Although there have been advancements in vehicle safety equipment laws, pedestrian protection remains largely unaddressed.”
The report reveals that the safety standards of road infrastructure are alarmingly low, with only a minimal percentage of roads meeting the required standards for different users.
However, the World Health Organization (WHO) is collaborating with countries to enhance road safety through various measures, including advocacy, technical assistance, awareness campaigns, and training.
One key aspect of this collaboration is enhancing the ability of countries like Zambia to collect and report accurate data on road traffic fatalities, thereby strengthening their capacity to address this critical issue.
“To achieve the United Nations General Assembly target of halving global road traffic deaths and injuries by 2030, WHO recommends a concerted effort to implement various interventions.
“These include developing sustainable transportation systems, enhancing legislative road safety frameworks, investing in data management systems, improving post-crash response, and conducting research tailored to the continent’s unique challenges,” the report noted.
