Keep children safe on roads says MVA Fund – Recent stats reveal 244 children injured on roads this year
The Motor Vehicle Accident Fund (MVA) statistics show that between 1 January and 3 August 2021 244 children aged between 5 and 17 were injured on the roads, while 198 children where injured during the same period in 2020 and 24 children in this age group have lost their lives in road crashes thus far in 2021.
Surihe Gaomas-Guchu, Chief Corporate Affairs of the Fund said this is a grim picture which required all hands on deck, especially with schools having resumed face-to-face learning since the most recent COVID-19 lockdown.
Gaomas-Guchu encouraged all parents, guardians and teachers to protect the life of the Namibian child by making road safety a priority. “I implore on everyone to make children road safety a cause of concern at home, school or in the community,” she added.
She implored that those transporting school children must familiarize themselves with school drop-off zones, plan their journey and adhere to all road safety regulations including speed limits when approaching school zones.
“In the same vein, motorists are requested to be patient, slow down and look out for children when driving in school vicinities, because children are already vulnerable, we therefore need to create an environment where they can safely learn, thrive and be happy,” she emphasized.
Meanwhile, she said that the Fund will continue to drive the road safety agenda for children by creating smart partnerships with schools and road safety stakeholders as part of their ongoing road safety programme.
