20 Feb 2017

Botswana has developed and institutionalised processes that are driving the mandate that has arrived the nation to this point in road transport and safety, says acting director of Road Transport and Safety Mr Bokhutlo Modukanele.

Speaking during  the Road Safety Youth Workshop 2017, Mr Modukanele said  the youth of Botswana happened to be amongst the greatest talent bearers and the preserve of the country though they were also bearing the blunt of road accidents as has been realised in the past years.

Mr Modukanele said his department has also institutionalised and developed the national road safety strategy which was launched and started to be implemented in 2013 where they were  trying to say to the nation at large that there is need to have roads that are safe and need to use vehicles in a safer manner.

“It is also worth noting to share with you that traffic accidents continue to grow as well as the vehicle population,” he said. In 2016 the country lost about 450 people due to road carnage.

He said many of the accidents were due to human error like misjudgments, some people trying to beat the traffic lights and the tendency of motorists driving along the highways who warn other motorists that police road blocks or speed traps were ahead.

He noted that after passing the traffic officers, they start speeding again and after increasing speed, the vehicle goes off the road causing fatal accidents.

It is disheartening due to the fact that the country is losing people who were  very effective in their jobs and still at their prime age who are between the ages of 20 to 45 years.

He said from January to December 2016, the department issued around 83 612 driving licenses for class B only of which 53 493 were males whilst women were 30 119 adding that in the same period, it could be noticed that youth between 16 and 45 years who applied for driving licenses they accounted for 7 013.

For his part, Botswana Police Services Assistant Superintendent Mr Bakani Taleyane urged the youth and other road users to make good use of the social media to educate others on how best they could use the roads rather that attacking the police.

He said road traffic safety has become a major global social economic development and health concern hence 1,24 million people die each year due to road traffic accidents. BOPA