What Is Wrong With Us: The roads that keep counting our dead

Africa does not require a miraculous solution to end its road carnage; it needs citizens who are willing to follow traffic rules, policymakers who are intelligent enough to allocate resources, and politicians who are honest enough to prioritize safety over convenience. Shocking statistics reveal that road crashes lead to the deaths of approximately 1.19 million people annually and cause injuries to between 20 and 50 million more individuals worldwide.

The World Health Organisation reports that road traffic injuries are the leading cause of death among young people aged 5 to 29, with more than half of those killed being pedestrians, cyclists, and motorcyclists, the most vulnerable road users. In the African context, the tragedy is particularly concerning, as the African Region recorded an estimated 225,000 road deaths in a single year and has the highest road traffic fatality rate globally.

Africa accounts for nearly a fifth of global road deaths, despite owning only around three percent of the world's vehicles. As fatalities were declining in most regions, they continued to rise across Africa.

This alarming reality necessitates a multi-faceted approach. The most effective measures involve interventions that are modest in cost but highly impactful, such as visible road signs, functioning traffic lights, properly marked pedestrian crossings, thoughtfully designed junctions, and the use of helmets and seat belts. These seemingly simple modifications can save countless lives.

The World Health Organisation highlights that over a hundred countries have succeeded in reducing road deaths by more than half within a decade, with countries like Denmark, Japan, and Norway making significant strides in this regard.

Africa should not simply adopt solutions from other parts of the world, as the continent's unique circumstances necessitate tailored approaches. Instead, the focus should be on understanding that road deaths are directly influenced by deliberate interventions. While engineering plays a crucial role, it is not the sole answer. Motorists must also exhibit respect and compliance with traffic rules, and traffic enforcement must be consistent and robust.

Speeding, driving under the influence, reckless overtaking, using mobile phones while driving, and failing to wear seat belts are all significant contributors to road fatalities. Weak enforcement inadvertently encourages these dangerous behaviors. The law, when poorly enforced, often becomes a mere formality, and drivers often find loopholes to justify their actions.

Effective enforcement requires predictability rather than sporadic measures. Rwanda provides a compelling example of how technology can be leveraged to enforce traffic laws effectively. By utilizing camera-detected speeding and red light systems that promptly issue fines, Rwanda demonstrates the potential of technology to deter reckless behavior.

Effective enforcement demands certainty, proportionality, and escalation, which can be facilitated through the deployment of cameras and transparent digital payment systems. Such measures help prevent bribery and generate valuable intelligence about dangerous locations. It is essential to ensure that enforcement is fair and not arbitrary, as punitive fines should aim to instill a sense of memory and caution in drivers' minds, rather than merely emptying their pockets.