07 Aug 2014

Road accidents can be prevented if the Botswana National Road Safety Strategy is implemented

Transport Hub coordinator, Ms Goitsemang Morekisi, said this during the national road safety stakeholders workshop in Gaborone.  

She said if all stakeholders were involved in defensive driving, driving within speed limits, driving with valid driver’s license and avoiding to drive under the influence of liquor all accidents could be avoided.

Ms Morekisi said the workshop would look into the strategy and identify ways that all involved could intensify response. She noted that a lot of stakeholders are working so hard to ensure that road safety issues are taken cognizance of in this country.

The road safety strategy was built on the principle of Vision 2016 and that of the UN decade for road safety which are international obligations that the country should be looking into.

“Our obedience, understanding and implementing of the pillars of the decade of action is a reward to the people of Botswana to the reduction of the road crash that we see on our roads,” she said.

She said stakeholders should see how they fit in the strategy and appreciate what government, civil society, private sector, law society and individuals can do.

The workshop, she said is about strengthening partnership, understanding who they are and working together to save the nation of Botswana and the headaches that the nation has to go through in losses of lives in all our roads.

Ms Morekisi noted that the workshop will provide clarity in all stakeholders, strengthen collaborations towards effective implementation and to reduce road traffic accidents by way of disseminating road safety messages to all road users.

In her welcome remarks, assistant district commissioner Mr Lesang Kgomoetsile said this strategy would assist in achieving one of the Vision 2016 pillar of a Safe and Secure nation

The strategy, he said would be a living document with continuous measurement and re-evaluation of the road safety focus and priorities to ensure continuous feasible and sustainable approach to road safety in Botswana.

Mr Kgomoetsile said the road safety strategy should be followed and implemented and amendment should be done with the involvement of all stakeholders’ viewpoints. “As key stakeholders, we are concerned about rising number of road accidents. Ends