On International Walk to School Day, ChildSafe South Africa continues to champion the cause of safer school zones. This year, the event took place in Mamelodi, Tshwane, Gauteng, where 60 learners from Mamelodi High, Tsako Thabo High, and Dr. IM Monare Primary School took to the streets to raise awareness about the critical need for improved road safety measures around schools.
The highlight of the event was the ongoing advocacy for a 30km/h speed restriction around schools. This initiative aims to protect our most vulnerable road users: children. The latest data from the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) underscores the importance of this measure, revealing some concerning trends.
While overall crash and fatality statistics show a positive trend, with fatal crashes decreasing by 2.5% and fatalities decreasing by 4.4%, pedestrian fatalities have unfortunately increased. Pedestrian fatalities rose from 43.0% in 2022 to 45.1% in 2023, accounting for 45% of all road user fatalities. This remains a significant challenge, particularly for children aged 0-14 years, who accounted for 10.2% of these fatalities.
The Walk Safely to School event in Mamelodi was a powerful demonstration of community solidarity and the urgent need for safer school zones. By walking together, learners, teachers, and community members highlighted the dangers children face daily and called for immediate action to implement and enforce the 30km/h speed limit around schools.
ChildSafe South Africa remains committed to advocating for these changes and working with local authorities and communities to ensure that every child can walk to school safely.
