NTSA Educates School Children on Road Safety in Nanyuki Ahead of Festive Season
As the festive seasons draw near, the NTSA and traffic department have reiterated their commitment to fighting road deaths through education and engagement
The program aims at providing children with basic knowledge about road safety, recognizing these groups as among the most vulnerable ones on Kenyan roads. Photo/Courtesy.
By Ruth Sang
The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA), in collaboration with the traffic and security agencies, has launched a road safety awareness program among school-going children in Nanyuki Town, Laikipia County, in a preventive measure before the Christmas festivities.
The program aims at providing children with basic knowledge about road safety, recognizing these groups as among the most vulnerable ones on Kenyan roads, mainly during school vacations when many people move around.
Speaking during the drill, Nanyuki Police Base Commander, Kelvin Sauroki, said the initiative is aimed at mitigating road accidents involving children. “We participated with the NTSA team to teach children attending schools the necessary techniques or rules to follow when using the road network. If children are aware of the safety rules, then we can really minimize the accident cases as well as the death or injuries caused by such accidents.”
During the sensitization program, children were involved in demonstrations by NTSA officials and traffic police on how to cross roads safely, recognize road signs, and make proper use of pedestrian crossings. The learners equally acquired knowledge on the importance of avoiding distractions like mobile phones when walking to and from roads and on the hazards posed by playing near highways and roads with heavy traffics.
As part of the initiative, reflector jackets were issued to cyclers and pedestrians. This is aimed at increasing visibility, especially during the early morning and late hours of the day, which is characterized by inadequate lighting. According to the officials of the NTSA, improved visibility is an effective way of reducing road crashes that involve pedestrians and cyclers.
Participants in the activity who included local authorities and the local community, stressed the need for a sense of shared responsibility for road safety. They appealed to all road users to comply with traffic instructions, including speed limits, especially where there are learning institutions and residential areas. They also appealed to all parents and guardians to ensure that their kids are following all road safety precautions.
NTSA officials pointed out that the peak season normally isitation with increased road accidents mainly because of high traffic and long distances as well as careless driving. They pointed out that instructing classes of preschool kids is important for instilling safety culture even beyond the walls of the classroom and into the wider community.
This was also further clarified by the authority that the road safety campaign will continue to take place even when the schools re-open for the start of the new year. Long-term intentions will focus on the inclusion of constant learning on the subject of road safety within the school programs to make sure the learners do not forget what they have been informed of.
The initiative was welcomed by Nanyuki residents, who referred to it as timely and necessary. Some parents were, however, worried by the rising figures of children involved in road accidents and felt that initiatives of this nature are essential in their lives. As the festive seasons draw near, the NTSA and traffic department have reiterated their commitment to fighting road deaths through education and engagement, and have urged all road users to do their bit to ensure that the roads of Kenya are made safer.
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