In addition to costing Africa billions of money every year, road accidents take away many lives and leave many maimed. There are many cases related to road carnage pending in courts and everyday, people are taken to the emergency rooms in hospital. Is it the roads? Is it the drivers? Is it the passengers? Are the governments sleeping on their job? Or is it the vehicles. These are some of the questions that remain unanswered. Fortunately, governments in Africa are trying to curb the accidents on the road and are implementing new rules and putting different measures in place.
Accident scene
Image source http://www.timeslive.co.za
Ghana
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) is the institution responsible for the issuance of driving licenses. Unfortunately, the largest number of accidents is as a result of poor driving. Some of the drivers that cause accidents get licenses without the qualifications that are set by the government, for this reason, some of those that ply the Ghanaian roads are nothing more than amateurs. In their efforts to curb road carnage in the country, the government is cleaning the licensing institution and keeping the police on alert for traffic law breakers that cause accidents.
Zambia
Like other African countries, Zambia loses a large number of its citizens through road accidents every year. Some accidents have been highly fatal and claimed scores of people. The authorities have responded by putting the necessary measures to reduce these incidences. The measures are things such as increased police checks and better markings of the road and reflective road signs. The police checks are supposed to serve as checks for road unworthy vehicles and unqualified drivers.
Kenya
Kenya has witnessed deaths of many citizens on her roads. The government has tightened the rules to curb road carnage. Some of the traffic laws touch on public service vehicle overloading, driver qualification and speed limits. Speed governors are installed in all public service vehicles to limit the speed and there are rules governing the conduct of the drivers. Recently the traffic department has reintroduced the alcoblow technology which is aimed at detecting drunk drivers at police check points to reduce DUI accidents.
Uganda
Uganda has seen a decrease in road accident cases. This can be attributed to tighter traffic rules and the continued sensitization on safety driving where bus owners work with the police in strategizing methods of curbing road accidents in the country. There are traffic police checks on all highways and feeder roads to ensure that the traffic rules are being followed. Stiff penalties for traffic law breakers also have contributed to safer roads.
Using the Alcoblow to test alcohol levels in blood
image source http://nairobiwire.com
South Africa
South Africa has very well-developed roads. However, many fatalities are witnessed every year from crashes. To reduce these accidents, the authorities have created governance, risk and compliance solutions that are aimed at revolutionizing the public transport industry and strict rules have been put in place to ensure that those disobeying the rules are hit with strict penalties. There are safety policies that guide companies towards the decrease of risks on the road.
