According to The Global Health Response to Children & Road Traffic report, road traffic is one of the most neglected issues affecting the wellbeing of young people. The global health crisis is the cause of 350 000 deaths each year and millions of serious injuries.
A shocking number of 227 000 road traffic fatalities are children and adolescents between the ages of 0 and 19. For every death there is a life-changing disability and for every disability, several serious injuries. That’s the equivalent of at least two large schools emptied of children every day.
As if that’s not enough reason to be worried about the safety of our little rascals on the road, the statistics are even worse in South Africa compared to the rest of the world. Children under the age of 18 are twice as likely to be killed on South African roads compared to any other part of the world. “Children are at risk because of their comparatively reduced cognitive abilities. When children cross roads in South Africa, they do not look out for traffic. And when they do, it’s often in the wrong direction”. says Aliasgher Janmohammed, project manager for the Prevention of Injuries Impacting Children in South Africa.
Several countries throughout the world have adopted “The 4 “E”s strategy”, with South Africa being among them. The country spends over R140 billion on road safety each year.
The 4 E’s are:
A lot. We share some important safety tips from Parent24:
In the driver’s seat
When biking to school
Teach your kids the following:
When walking to school
Teach your kids the following:
When taking public transport
Teach your kids the following:
It’s our responsibility as adults to ensure the safety of our children on the roads. Together we can save 227,000 innocent lives!
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