Road Safety Week; A Time To Reflect

From May 12th to 18th every year, the world observes Road Safety Week; a time to raise awareness about road accidents, promote safer travel and appreciate the journeys we make safely every day. It’s something we rarely talk about until tragedy strikes although the truth is that road safety affects all of us.

Whether you walk, cycle, ride a minibus or drive, you're part of a bigger system that requires care, responsibility and awareness on the road all the time. And while it might be easy to focus on the convenience of transport, we often forget to honor the value of simply traveling and arriving safely. To some, especially when they are late to work or events, they tend to speed up whatever means of transportation they are using which is dangerous. Fortunately, some organizations here in Malawi together with the government, sensitize road users by using the phrase “Speed Kills, Arrive Alive.’’ 

In Malawi and around the world, road accidents are one of the leading causes of preventable deaths. That means lives, especially young and full of potential, are being lost when they don’t have to be. We owe it to each other to make better choices; for instance, wear seatbelts, obey speed limits, use pedestrian crossings, avoid texting while driving and never drink and drive. In relation to that, on a positive note, Road Traffic Accidents decreased by 10% with 4,977 accidents which were recorded in 2023 compared to 5,553 accidents which occurred in 2022. Out of 4,977 accidents, 389 were fatal, 271 serious, 2,131 minor and 1,727 were damages. These statistical figures however shows that Road Traffic Accidents do remain a major concern here in Malawi and this is according to the Malawi Police Service annual report (MPS Annual Report). MPS will therefore continue with its efforts to enhance road safety in order to protect the lives of people in Malawi.

Let these days be a reminder not only to remember those we’ve lost but to celebrate the journeys we’ve survived by getting home safely to our families, friends and communities. And most importantly, let it be a time to commit to safer roads for all because everyone deserves to arrive alive.