Sidumisile Mabena
Sikhumbuzo Moyo
[email protected]
THE Zimbabwe National Road Administration, in partnership with the Traffic Safety Council of Zimbabwe and other road authorities has intensified road safety education programmes in schools through a nationwide initiative to refurbish pedestrian crossings and educate learners on safe road usage amid growing concerns over pedestrian-related accidents.
Speaking during a road safety awareness programme at along old Khami road after Intemba road adjacent to Babambeni Primary School today Thursday, ZINARA Corporate Communications and Marketing Executive Mrs Tsungie Munyeza said the initiative forms part of the road authority’s broader efforts to improve road safety and reduce accidents involving pedestrians.
She said ZINARA channels part of its road safety funding to the Traffic Safety Council of Zimbabwe to support community-based road safety education programmes.
“This programme is a partnership between ZINARA, road authorities and the Traffic Safety Council in replenishing road markings, specifically pedestrian markings. A portion of the disbursement that ZINARA provides towards road safety programmes has gone towards the procurement of road-marking paint,” said Ms Munyeza.
She said the programme, which was launched a few weeks ago by the Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development, Felix Mhona, is being implemented across the country.
Ms Munyeza said beyond repainting pedestrian crossings, the initiative seeks to demonstrate the practical use of road markings while equipping learners with essential road safety knowledge.
“What we have done together with the Traffic Safety Council is to go a step further and show the road markings in action within our communities by partnering with traffic safety clubs in schools. Today we are showcasing the road markings and demonstrating how to properly use pedestrian crossings,” she said.
Ms Munyeza said the programme comes at a time when Zimbabwe is experiencing an increase in pedestrian-related accidents, a development that has become a major concern for stakeholders in the road transport sector.
“As you would know, we have seen a high rise in pedestrian-related accidents across the country. This has been a big concern for us both as a road fund administrator and as stakeholders in the road ecosystem. Through this programme, we are advancing education to learners so that they understand how to use roads safely and also spread this information within their schools and communities,” said Ms Munyeza.
She said the programme also provides learners with an opportunity to understand how the country’s road infrastructure system operates and the roles played by various institutions.
“We have taken the opportunity to engage learners, who are the future motorists of Zimbabwe, so that they begin to understand how the road infrastructure ecosystem is structured, where ZINARA fits in as a road funder, the role of road authorities and how the Traffic Safety Council contributes to road safety,” she said.
Ms Munyeza said learners had shown keen interest in understanding road management processes and the responsibilities of institutions involved in maintaining the country’s road network.
“It has been interesting to see how our students are eager to understand how roads are maintained and the different roles played by stakeholders. The questions they have been asking show a genuine desire to know more about the work that we do,” she said.
She said the ultimate objective of the programme was to instil a culture of road safety among young people.
“What has been most important for us is that the learners have understood the importance of road safety and the need to keep themselves, their friends and their families safe,” said Ms Munyeza.
Online Reporter