Gaborone International Convention Centre
13 and 14 February, 2003 Table of Contents
Introduction p. 3
Executive Summary p. 3
Recommendations for:
Botswana Railways p. 6
Department of Roads p. 6
Department of Road Transport and Safety p. 7
Insurance Companies p. 9
Legislative/Courts p. 10
Liquor Industry p. 12
Local Authority p. 12
Ministry of Finance p. 13
Ministry of Health p. 13
Police Department p. 13
Appendix 1:
Record of speakers’ main points and all recommendations by session p. 15Introduction:
This document is intended to convey the principal recommendations garnered from a two-day National Symposium on Road Traffic Accidents held in Gaborone on the 13th and 14th February, 2003.
From the outset the intention has been to have these recommendations on the desk of the National Executive within 14 days (by Friday 28th February) of the close of the Symposium and so all recording and preparation has been focused on this aim.
Although a verbatim recording of the entire proceedings is held on magnetic tape by the Department of Road Transport and Safety, the present report is compiled solely from the actual recommendations made either by speakers or members of the public. More than 180 of these were noted. There was much duplication and more weight of opinion was noted in some areas and less in others.
The synthesis of all this material is presented in the section that follows headed "Main Recommendations". An effort, in that section, has been made to organise this mass of opinion into logical categories and to sub-divide those categories into short, medium and long-term horizons. (This, of course, given the time frame, has been done purely subjectively and is intended more as an indication of priority rather than as an absolute measure). In the Appendix to this document is contained all the actual recommendations as they were recorded at the time, in the order they were given, by speaker and during the discussion session that followed.
Executive Summary:
With regard to our accident rate, most will state the belief that action is long overdue. All contributing aspects of Botswana’s accident rate require urgent attention and it is difficult to place one above any other but the major priority areas appear to be:Education
Enforcement
Legislation
Supervision
Education:
Most agreed that individual attitude underlies our horrifying and tragic traffic accident rate: the attitude of motorists to safety, to speed, to alcohol, to the very vehicles they drive and to other road users. Most opinion demanded a change in attitudes and, to this end, suggested a ‘carrot and stick’ approach: increased enforcement on the one hand with more effective education on the other. For adults, use is to be made of driver training manuals, higher standards of general driver training and the media, including cinema and television as well as radio and the printed media on a scale hitherto unseen in this country. The objective must be to make individuals realise that responsibility for our high accident rate rests with them: not with road or vehicle design, lack of Police enforcement or "other drivers": individuals cause accidents – NOTHING ELSE. Primary and secondary schools (both public and private) must also be engaged in this ongoing effort. Public transport was heavily criticised with many of the recommendations being aimed at achieving better control of and self-discipline among the various ‘Combi’ operators.Enforcement:
Better enforcement was seen by many as an immediate need: speeding, drunken driving, jumping red traffic lights and control of traffic on the roads being the areas of principal concern. Better discipline among and control of Combi drivers is also strongly recommended as is the need to resolve with determination the question of domestic animals on the road.
It was strongly recommended that:
A stand alone traffic department (an initiative found effective and recommended by the Swedish delegate) be created so that they could focus exclusively on traffic work and not get drawn constantly to other duties:
There be an increase in traffic officer and traffic vehicle establishment (508 officers for the whole country the Commissioner felt to be insufficient)
There be a shifting to the private sector, specifically insurance companies, of some of the burden in investigating minor accidents and claims which currently tie up large portions of police time.
Legislation:
The Road Traffic Act is said to be old and very much out of date, despite some amendments. It is understood that a completely revised act is under consideration so it is recommended that this act be ‘fast tracked’ so as to become operative as quickly as possible. At the moment issues such as: cattle on the roads and responsibility for the accidents they cause, as well as individual responsibility for damage to traffic lights, streetlights and guard rails is ambiguous. Legal apportionment of responsibility is possible and must be decided AND ENFORCED. The apparently haphazard allocation of liquor licenses with regard to density, times of operation and proximity to main roads needs to be urgently reconsidered. Inadequacies in existing legislation also make it difficult to secure convictions for drunken driving: this situation must be rectified quickly. Many recommendations called for stricter penalties in order to regain some respect for the authority of the law and it was also felt there is a need for the courts to find faster ways of dealing with traffic matters.Supervision:
A key recommendation is the formation of, or the allocation to an existing committee, of responsibility to see that the recommendations contained in the main body of this report are acted upon or formally discarded. There was a strong feeling among delegates that: "we have been down this road before" and that there is a danger that nothing will happen unless such responsibility is clearly allocated. As our Chief Justice remarked: "The mood of (the public) is for urgent action." It is thus important to be able to convince a critical and cynical public that something is being done and that things really are going to change.
Mike Main - Symposium Organising Committee Chairperson
Main RecommendationsBotswana Railways
Medium to Long Term (longer than 12 months)
Run more fast trains on the Gaborone to Francistown route
Possibility of light rail system
Department of Roads
Immediate (1 –6 months)Keep grass on the verges of roads well trimmed
Short Term (6 – 18 months)Place road signs at better heights
Make drivers pay for replacement of signs, poles or culverts they have damaged
Build soft walls and plantings down the median of major highways so that drivers can’t meet oncoming trafficLink hospital and police accident reports to databases for engineers
Maintain roads in good condition, fix potholes, uneven surfaces etc.
Build speed bumps to warn drivers that they are entering a populated area
Long Term (longer than 18 months)
Divide Francistown road into sections and give sections to private companies to control livestock on the roads (people using motorbikes controlling 30 km. stretches)
Make two-lane highway from Francistown to Lobatse with toll gates to recover the cost and to control speed
Fence all major roads
Ensure independence between road inspectors and road designers
Focus more on quality and less on cost in awarding tenders for road construction
Widen roads especially in major towns, i.e. Serowe and between Gaborone and Francistown
Build facilities alongside major roads where drivers can stop and stretch, get a drink of water etc.
Make roads more cyclist friendly
Design roads to fit the local context
Insist upon basic standards in road construction
Build more pedestrian paths (there are 9 pedestrians for every person who drives)
Make road signage appropriate to local conditions: usually designed for 20/20 eyesight, daylight conditions, driving at 100km/hr
Department of Road Transport and Safety
Immediate (1 –6 months)Model the road safety campaign on the HIV/AIDS campaign
Use mini-buses as road safety advertisers as is the case with Lovers Plus condoms
Erect signs near mini-bus stops warning of erratic driving
Look into allegations of corruption involving driving school owners and examiners
Create a committee that follows the progress of this report and ensures that action is taken
Check that driving schools are teaching road safe attitude and culture
Use petrol stations for education/road safety messages
Create 30 – 40 second advertising clips on road safety for broadcast on BTVConduct a seat belt campaign
Short Term (6 – 18 months)Run more fast trains on the Gaborone to Francistown route
Provide more staff to transport promotion unit. It currently only issues permits. It should also check that permit conditions are complied with
Run road safety seminars for bus, mini-bus and taxi drivers
Require driving schools to teach people how to drive at high speed and under different conditions. Also teach distance judging
Discourage older people from driving: insist on retesting at a certain age to check eyesight and concentration
Use appropriate, culture specific road safety slogans
Include statistics on fatalities and injuries in road safety materials that can be put at petrol stations and in schools
Monitor number of hours drivers in the public sector are working to combat fatigue
Have mini-buses run on regular schedules
Increase number of vehicle examiners to help police with roadside inspections: 6 monthly checks are not enough
Include road safety and customer care in training for public service drivers
Subject people to eye test at the same time as they undergo the driving test
Computerise theory component of driver’s test and make it more difficult to cheat
Mark every site where there has been a fatal accident with a small cross to increase awareness
Introduce spot retesting of licensed drivers
Stringent tests of driving school instructors and check the roadworthiness of their vehicles
Conduct compulsory roadworthiness checks of private vehicles
Announce ‘in 10 days time, all animals found on major public roads can be taken for meat’. Tanzania did this successfullyCreate one syllabus for use in all driving schools
Collect relevant information to prevent accidents: identify hazardous locations/black spots, identify accident type to target in a particular area
Encourage owners to pay bus and mini-bus drivers a salary instead of a commission based on the number of trips driven
In TV ads educate people about how even one beer impairs driving ability
Use mass media, BTV to teach people traffic rules
Create a separate public education campaign to target pedestrians specifically
Personalise road safety in ads: show what happened to a particular family when the father or mother was killed in an accident
Travel routes of children to and from school should be assessed and monitored by school authorities
Teach road safe attitude and culture to primary school children
Teach primary school students how to use a pedestrian crossing
Long Term (longer than 18 months)
Implement centralised system of transport management
Regularly follow up the National Bus and Taxi Service Association to ensure that they are obeying their code of conduct
Create national driving training school instead of unregulated private driving schools all over the place
Liberalise use of breathalysers: council vehicles
Structure road safety campaign according to research of road safety
Monitor and implement previous recommendations
Make small villages into rest stops with facilities for drivers
Conduct more research into the causes of road accidents
Look at our statistics: learn from the years when there are fewer accidents and fatalities
Address culture of convenience (i.e. reluctance to walk to a pedestrian crossing etc.) in public education campaigns
Revoke permits of those public service drivers and construction truck drivers who violate traffic rules regularly
Increase levels and quality of public transport so that car numbers on the roads can be reduced
Improve leadership of district road safety committees
Educate drivers on the use of a new road before the road is opened
Introduce a graduated licensing system. Have an initial 2-year license that allows drivers to drive up to 80 km/hr. Then, if no accidents, allow for a full, unrestricted license
Plan traffic more: have staggered work starting and finishing times
Conduct road safety audits before accidents occur, i.e. guard rail badly repaired, people walking on median etc.
Coordinate implementation of road safety action plan with other sectors: bring all departments together to share ideas
Create national road traffic research centre
Understand and intervene: idea of car as status symbol especially among young males
Teach personal responsibility regarding driving while under the influence of alcohol and drugs
Make road safety education part of the primary school curriculum
Create a civil society organisation focusing on drunk driving (i.e. Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) in the USA
Need for behaviour change interventions similar to those attempted with HIV/AIDS
Annual Information, Education and Communication campaigns kicking off each December
Insurance Companies
Immediate (1 –6 months)Insist that employees attend regular driver education workshops
Short Term (6 – 18 months)Reward seat belt use with 20% discount on insurance
Reward accident free driving through lowered premiums
Encourage competitions in organisations: prizes for the least accidents etc.
Long Term (longer than 18 months)
Employ their own accident investigators to free up police
Legislative/Courts
Immediate (1 –6 months)Fast track the Road Traffic Act through the courts
In Road Traffic Act, decriminalise minor offences and relieve police of requirement that police must attend all accidents, even minor ones
Amend law so that admission of guilt fines for traffic violations can be paid directly to the revenue office
Create quotas for traffic on various roads, i.e. Route 2 may only be serviced by 10 mini-buses
Expedite trials of traffic offenders
Expand traffic courts
Allow for random alcohol tests of drivers
Increase penalty for failure to wear a seat belt (currently only 42% of drivers wear a seat belt)
Increase bus speed from 80 to between 90 and 110 km/hr
Outlaw the transportation of school children in the back of open trucks
Immediately ban cell phone use while driving
Increase fines and penalties for violations, i.e. P1000 for speeding
Short Term (6 – 18 months)Legislate mandatory rest periods for long haul commercial drivers
Limit number of people a bakkie may carry
Legislate that where a new development (shopping centre etc.) will impact on traffic, the developer must pay for the necessary adjustments to the roads
Legislate that cattle owners will have to pay the costs of controlling cattle that stray onto roads
Impound cattle found on roads and sell immediately. Money to go to MVA Fund for accident victims
Institute penalties for farmers who damage fences and fail to close gates along major roads
Increase responsibility of bar/bottle store owners for drunk driving, making the owner partially liable for any damage caused by a patron who could be reasonably assessed as over the limit for driving
Lower maximum speed limits
Implement policy used in the USSR: 14 days in driving school for causing fatal accidents
Restrict number of buses on the roads: congestion leads to speeding, aggressive driving
Stiffen laws regarding construction truck safety, especially regarding overloading with stone, bricks that fall off onto roads behind them
Make laws regarding livestock on the roads more punitive
Create specific drunk driving law to replace ‘driving while unfit’ lawAllow for cattle owners who contribute to road deaths to be charged with manslaughter
Allow 16 year olds to begin driving with one teacher (or parent) until they are 18 years old. Make them wait two years for a license and get lots of practice
Tax high alcohol beer heavily
Make it more difficult for inexperienced drivers to get car loans
Introduce minimum speed limits: slow drivers, tractors, construction vehicles such as Bells and JCBs all lead to risky overtaking
Require new drivers to be accompanied by experienced drivers for an initial period
Introduce mobile traffic courts
Long Term (longer than 18 months)
Allow the private sector to establish pounds along the country’s main roadsLook into the possibility of legislating that all children under the age of four must be in car seats when travelling in a car
Create special autonomous department of traffic and road safety separate from ordinary police force
Make law requiring all public service vehicles to be fitted with speed governors
Make law banning bars alongside major roads
Require all long distance and mini-buses to have seat belts for passengers
Consider the establishment of an independent Road Safety Board to play a role similar to that of NACA in the HIV/AIDS campaign
Liquor Industry
Immediate (1 –6 months)Provide funds for a campaign to teach people how to drink responsibly
Provide breathalysers to bars and petrol stations where people can check their blood alcohol levels before driving or having another drink
Short Term (6 – 18 months)Put health warnings on the sides of beer cans such as those on cigarette packets
Encourage bars to display and abide by a code of conduct relating to selling to minors, disorderly people etc.
Long Term (longer than 18 months)
Reduce alcohol content in beers
Replace tins with bottles: bottles are recyclable, tins cause litter
Local Authority
Immediate (1 –6 months)Hire traffic wardens who can monitor parking bays
If it’s possible to drive faster than 30 km over a pedestrian crossing remove the crossing. Pedestrians believe they are safe and fatalities occurShort Term (6 – 18 months)Make built up pedestrian crossings (75 mm. high) at the same level as the pavement so that cars have to slow down
Install sirens that work at railway crossings
Ensure that street lights are functioning at all times
Long Term (longer than 18 months)
Control liquor outlets. Reduce number of bars along roads
Make road signage appropriate to local conditions: usually designed for 20/20 eyesight, daylight conditions, driving at 100km/hr
Ministry of Finance
Immediate (1 –6 months)Subsidise organisations that rehabilitate alcoholics
Short Term (6 – 18 months)Provide extra funding for police for training and vehicles
Increase manpower funding for traffic police
Long Term (longer than 18 months)
Stagger paydays. Pay civil service at different times through the month instead of all at month end
Stagger work starting and finishing times of civil service
Provide more help to overstretched Road Transport Department
Ministry of Health
Immediate to Short Term (1 – 18 months)
Privatise emergency medical services
Long Term (longer than 18 months)
Tackle alcohol abuse as a regional initiative
Increase contribution to the MVA Fund by a few thebe and use the money to buy proper emergency medical service vehicles
Police Department
Immediate (1 –6 months)Use speed traps as an opportunity for public education, not simply to raise funds and punish speeders
Install cameras to check speed on all major roads in town
Conduct spot checks for drunkenness and roadworthiness
Make police presence more unpredictable
Set up speed traps after dark
Show zero tolerance of drunk drivers: enforce blood alcohol limits and prosecute offenders
Police crackdown on public service vehicles and their drivers
Visibly and publicly discipline taxi and mini-bus drivers who violate traffic rules or drive aggressively
Regular, spaced police cruisers on main roads travelling at 120 km/hr arresting any vehicle that overtakes them
Police should be among traffic rather than at road blocks and catch violators that way: element of surprise and sense of being watched at all times
Launch a highly visible campaign to catch drivers who run red lights
Control people spilling out of bars, littering, being disorderly etc. Strong police presence outside bars and nightclubs
Allow a single traffic officer to arrest a driver for a violation, issue him or her with a ticket and collect the fine on the spot
Short Term (6 – 18 months)Create special police squads to control traffic over weekends and holidays
Surveillance of all major roads night and day
Dedicated police helicopter
Long Term (longer than 18 months)
Restructure so that less time is spent on minor accidents and more on serious accidents. Focus on fatalities
Encourage the idea of designated drivers: bars could give out badges to designated drivers and give them free cold drinks
Train all police officers in basic first aid
Budget for enforcement at the same time as you budget for infrastructure
Come up with coordinated plan when attending accidents: police, ambulance, media, dealing with onlookers etc.
APPENDIX 1:
Speakers’ Main Points and all Recommendations
Botswana Society National Road Accident Symposium
13 and 14 February, 2003
Opening by the President of Botswana, Mr. F. Mogae
Key points:
horrendous statistics
national problem
need for cooperation between neighbouring states, regional strategy
need for specific recommendations, workable solutions
irony that it is associated with positive changes in transport infrastructure and economic development (20% of annual investment to transport sector)
from 6 km tarred roads to 6900 km in 2003
traffic jams indicative of prosperity:10% increase in vehicle ownership p.a.
need for safe, efficient transport industry: freedom of movement as a human right
need for comprehensive, forward looking policy towards road accidents
with AIDS main challenge to future of our people
low level of traffic discipline: excessive speed, seat belts, vehicle overloading, alcohol, ignorance of road signs, tailgating
alcohol: look at opening hours
livestock on roads: fencing, grazing cattle in road reserves
public transport vehicles should be targeted (unlicensed, reckless)
enforce traffic rules
not only a police challenge
inadequate road signs
revision of road traffic provisions of the law (Ministry + AG Chambers)
sanctity of life highest of all values
aim to reduce deaths and injuries
needs contribution of everyone
Address by the Hon. Mrs. T. Seretse, Minister of Works, Transport & Communication
Key points:
costs of road accidents too high
NDP 9 will update transport policy
sector will continue to grow
road most hazardous of modes of transport
vehicle ownership 1% that of industrialised countries. Fatalities more than 10% that of industrialised countries
29 deaths per 100,000 cars
just under 200,000 cars in Botswana
500 people died each year in last three years
road accidents 2% of GDP p.a.
causal factors: speed, alcohol, ignorance of road rules, recklessness, livestock, human failure
need for road safety interventions
initiatives of Ministry: NRSC to coordinate policy, remedial measures on black spots, improving legislation (Road Traffic Act), driving standards, safety of school children, child traffic school
mobile traffic school soon
role of media in public education
Dec. 7: national road safety day
need for testing of public service vehicles
roadworthiness test of all private vehicles soon
driver training manuals: driver testing facilities (6 of them around the country)
considering driver training academy with examiners
need for partnerships
role of alcohol, speed and drugs
discipline and punishment: enforcement
SADC protocol: harmonisation of traffic policies
intro. of credit card sized driver’s license next yearspeed govern all vehicles? increase age of driving licenses? curfew? forced rest? take licenses away after one accident?
need for something stricter! Fines should be more punitive
Road Safety Statistics and the National Cost
Mrs. R. Vaka (CEO of Motor Vehicle Accident Fund)
Accident Statistics:
accident stats. still rising
29 deaths per 100 000 vehicles
majority of deaths and injuries ages between 15 and 39: most productive phase of life
71% of fatalities are male (country distrib: 48% male 52% female)
highest incidence of fatalities in Serowe and Francistown
majority of accidents on weekends and in December
Costs:
fund started to compensate victims of accidents through fuel levy of approx. 10t
most cars are insured. Total cost to insurance industry, BOMAID, MVA fund and CTO of P162m
costs of payouts approx. P200m
cost to productivity: time off for funerals, putting lots more people in danger on the roads, funeral costs, orphaned children, education etc.
70% of people treated at Govt. hospitals: health costs of +P20m
damage to property of P10m
cumulative costs of road accidents +P500m
Audience recommendations:
run road safety seminar for bus drivers, taxi drivers
control consumption of alcohol. Reduce numbers of bars along roads
stagger paydays. Pay civil service over weeks instead of at month end
courts: have traffic courts deal with issues as they come up
control people riding in back of bakkies, outlaw the transportation of school children in back of open trucks
teach road safe attitude and culture. Attitude of current generation: lost cause
condition of roads and vehicles as contributing factor
have a national driving training school instead of having driving schools all over the place
teach people to drive fast and to drive under different conditions
immediately ban cell phone use in cars
make it more difficult for inexperienced drivers to get car loans
provide breathalysers in bars and nightclubs
close bars completely!
monitor speed limit in town. Cars going too slowly causing a hazard. Learner drivers should be taken out of town
special police squads controlling traffic over weekends and holidays
discourage older people from driving, retesting for eyesight, concentration etc.
use speed traps as opportunity for public education not just for funds. Also need traffic helicopters.
implement policy used in USSR: 14 days in driving school for traffic violation
extra funding for police for training and vehicles.
use mass media, BTV to teach people traffic rules
Causes of Accidents
Dr. K.C. Mzwinila
looked at behavioural and attitudinal factors to road safety
Sample of 8-10,000
6 categories: drunk driving, fatigue, speed, reckless driving, pedestrians and passengers, behavioural attitudes
interventions: legislation, enforcement, reinforcement (rewarding certain behaviours), public education, health model (public health rather than transport issue)
Recommendations:
monitor and implement previous recommendations
educate all primary school children on road safety
use small villages as rest stops
model road safety campaign on AIDS campaign
reward appropriate behaviour: culture of convenience not to use seat belt
increase responsibility of bar/bottle store owners for drunk driving
use petrol stations for education/road safety messages
use appropriate road safety slogans
car as status symbol: young males. Understand and intervene
have minimum speed limits: slow drivers as hazard
need unpredictable police presence
conduct more research into the causes
Audience recommendations:
random alcohol tests of drivers
implement centralised system of transport management
need speed traps after dark
liberalise use of breathalysers: council vehicles
divide Francistown road into sections and give to private companies to control livestock on the roads (people using motorbikes controlling for 30 km. stretches at night only)
increase bus speed from 80 to 110 km/hr. Buses speed because it’s too lowincrease fines: P1000 for speeding
make 2-lane highway Gaborone to Francistown with toll gate to recover cost
impound cattle found on roads and sell immediately
Tanzania: Govt. announced ‘in 10 days time, all animals on the road can be taken for meat’cattle owners to pay costs of controlling cattle on the roadscreate special dept. of traffic separate from ordinary police force.
Spot-checks for roadworthiness, alcohol etc.
need for coordination of implementation. Some sort of umbrella organisation.
Legislation and Enforcement I: Police point of view
Mr. Norman Maleboge (Commissioner of Police)
1 vehicle to 10 people (UK 3 vehicles to 10 people)
29 deaths per 100 000 (Sweden 6 people per 100 000)
outdated legislation (31 yrs old) In process of overhauling it
fines need to be adjusted : fines ridiculously low
no regulation or consistency of public education materials
driving teachers not properly trained and licensed
drivers do not attend road safety seminars or training
inadequate funds for road safety
only 508 traffic officers
lack of research on road safety matters
instill road safety culture
poor driver discipline: impatient and contemptuous to traffic officers
tendency to warn others of police presence: no punishment for them
media: doesn’t give enough details of accidents, inadequate reportinglenient penalties for causing death
liquor outlets on highways
vehicle ownership outpacing highway development
maximum speed limits unsafe
frequently no division between lanes
Recommendations:
make road safety education part of school curriculum
create national road traffic research centre
insurance companies to employ own accident investigators
police waste time dealing with minor accidents, need more time to deal with major accidents
law should provide for decriminalisation of minor offences
admission of guilt fines should be paid directly to revenue office
lower max speed limits
traffic wardens should monitor parking bays
need compulsory examination of private vehicles
control liquor outlets
increase human and logistic resources for police
Legislation and Enforcement II: Legal profession’s point of viewMr. D. Bayford
Road Traffic Act too old
piecemeal amendments to road traffic act unsatisfactory
introduction of breathalysers: legislation and training was rushed
livestock: Pounds Act is out of date
livestock impounded, but charges at council kraals ridiculously low
no enforcement of Road Traffic Act (section 99) prohibiting livestock straying onto public road
Recommendations:
make law regarding livestock on roads more punitive
establish pounds along country’s main roads and privatise themcreate specific drunk driving law, currently just ‘driving while unfit’Audience recommendations:look into corruption involving driving school owners and examiners
spot retesting of licensed drivers
research into who is causing accidents: new or old drivers?
private sector to insist employees attend driver education workshops
competitions in organisations: prizes for least accidents etc.
cattle owners who contribute to deaths charged with manslaughter
driving school trainers: should be tested themselves and check road worthiness of their vehicles
look at driver attitude, teach road courtesy
multisectoral approach: bring all departments together to share ideas
more youth friendly initiatives: they are good advocates
reward accident free drivers through lowered insurance premiums
zero tolerance for drunk driving
fence all major roads
farmers to maintain fences and close gates
Engineering and Animals
Dr. Siegfried Grosskopf (Consultant, Africon. Africon advise our Roads Dept.)
road accidents third leading cause of death and disability by year 2020
safe road environment: should warn road user of any areas where sub-standard sections, unusual conditions, guide drivers through sub-standard areas, forgive driver mistakes, limit risk, reduce exposure to danger
look at what was initial trigger for accident?
speed management: sudden stop is what kills
traffic management: congestion, control access of livestock, cars etc.
pedestrian management: 25% of fatalities are pedestrians
bridges, culverts: often too narrow
road designers work to a budget, major funding problems
can’t have same design standards throughout the countryRecommendations:
design roads to fit local context
link data i.e. hospital accident reports linked to databases for engineers
look at road signage: designed for 20/20 eyesight, daylight conditions, driving at 100 km/hr.
road safety audit before accidents occur i.e. guard rail badly repaired, people walking on median etc.
accident information must be reliable: identify hazardous locations, identify accident type you want to target in that particular area
personalise road safety in ads: what happened to this particular family when father was killed in an accident
Audience recommendations:
driver should pay for replacement of damaged sign, culvert etc.
Govt. should not go for cheapest option in road engineering and construction etc.
need for basic standards in road construction
need for independence between road inspectors and road designers
every site where there has been a fatal accident should put up a small wooden cross – increase awarenessplan traffic more: staggered work starting and finishing times.
road signs placed at better heights
more pedestrian paths (9 pedestrians for every person who drives)
combis queuing in groups. Need for signs warning people of combis pulling out
Road Safety and the Public. Drivers Licenses Issues
Mr. M. Sebolai (Director, Department of Transport)
need to look at road safety holistically: car, road, attitudes, legislation
human attitudes and error is central so education and information measures needed
messages on road safety on rulers etc. Get children early. Children’s traffic school as pilot projectregulate driver-training industry: have driver training curriculum, different license classes, test booklet available on sale.
driver testing facilities to simulate traffic situations. Help learner be tested in that environment. New system.
driving school instructors: new materials to test them. Mounting courses for driving instructors
driver training academy in NDP9 (just been allocated space in BBS)
license itself: issue credit card licenses April/May 2003 to address deficiencies: old one prone to forgery. Registry will be more intact. More security around records.
will implement points/demerits system. AG to help with legislation. Points attached to offences. License will be suspended or revoked.
traffic surveillance: cameras to address red light violations
condition of vehicles: setting up testing facilities throughout country. Roadworthiness will be precondition of renewal of road license. Currently only test public service vehicles.
Recommendations:
more data collection to enable informed decisions: accidents according to gender, types of vehicles, injuries etc.
intersectoral collaboration
Audience recommendations:
computerise theory component of test and therefore make it impossible to fake/cheat
subject people to eye test at same time as they do driving test
district road safety committees should lead better or privatise road safety completely
when infrastructure is budgeted for, must also budget for enforcement. (road infrastructure expanded massively in Gabs and enforcement was left behind.)
education on road use must come before new roads are opened
introduce a graduated licensing system. Have an initial 2-year license allows driver up to 80km/hr. Then, if no accidents, a full, unrestricted license.
restrict number of buses on roads: congestion leads to speeding
new driver to be accompanied by experienced driver?
PUBLIC DEBATE: Public Transport: Representatives from public and private transport sector
Mr. B. Botana (General Manager of Botswana Railways)
importance of adequate braking time for trains
need for better signage at rail crossings
Mr. G. Matenge (Chairman of the Bus and Taxi Service Association)
need policy/vision to guide day to day business
Govt. has not been consulting public transport operators
have started restructuring process themselves: operators have capability to change
need for quality service: affordable and efficient
operators blame Dept. of Transport, but don’t do the right thing themselvesneed for well trained and remunerated route managers
permits: getting renewal should be linked to good behaviour
propose commercialisation of public transport: act more like entrepreneurs
want independent national transport association
Mr. E. Majama (Vice Chairman of the Bus and Taxi Service Association)
association does discipline members, but can’t discipline non-members. If operators won’t be disciplined, take them to police or to transport.Often mini-bus owners are civil servants. Difficult to reach
Pilot project: all operators will be required to sponsor the running of an office where they can be trained.
Mr. Makgophe (Police Officer, 2nd in charge of traffic dept.)
Public service vehicles: Road Traffic Act (Max. 80 km/hr), Road Transport Permits Act (conditions on licenses): vehicles and drivers have to undergo tests every six months for the vehicles.
long distance buses tend to speed but buses involved in very few accidents.
stats over 4 years: buses: 250 accidents, 22 people dead; mini-buses: 1329 accidents, 136 people dead; taxis: 294 accidents, 7 dead
problems with mini-buses: overtaking on the left, overloading, running red lights, passengers telling police they are delaying them, stopping in middle of the road
50 traffic lights in Gabs. Hard to monitor all of them. Spend too much time investigating minor accidents
few good operators/drivers. Owners of mini-buses say they can’t discipline them because there aren’t enough drivers.Recommendations:
increase penalties for violations
revoke permits for perpetual offending, although technical difficulties with revoking permits
encourage bus and taxi service assoc. to regulate their members more
increase no. of vehicle examiners to help with roadside inspections. 6 monthly checks not enough
provide more staff to transport promotion unit. Only issue permits. Should also check that permit condition are complied with
include road safety and customer care in training for drivers
maintain current speed limits: appropriate for single lane roads
Mr. M. Sebolai (Director of Road Safety and Transport)
try to create enabling environment for industry to thrive
work with police to ensure strict surveillance
widen roads: lay byes, terminals or taxi ranks. A lot to be done in this area esp. in major towns, i.e. Serowe
still see deterioration in safety due to competition between mini-buses
detached attitude among operators: need to drive in safe manner, courtesy. Business depends on customers
industry has own rules of the road
dept. is continuing to work with operators
sterner measures against offending operators. Persuasion hasn’t worked.operators circumvent road blocks, cheat at roadworthiness tests
corruption is an issue
considering implementing rule that bakkies cannot carry people without canopies
operators don’t come when Dept. offers training coursesroad safety cuts across sectors: health, transport, education
Mr. Seabelo and Mr. Motlogelwa (Owner of Seabelo Bus Co. and Motlogelwa Bus Co.)
bus speed limit (80km/hr) too slow. Encourages speeding
need harmonisation of speed limits throughout SADC countries
increase speed limit and increase fine for speeding
need systems of control rather than more police
cameras on all routes
owners pay driver’s fines, but fines are deducted from their salaries.Audience recommendations:
more fast trains. Railways are safest, but least used
outlaw people riding in open vehicles
speed governors fitted into taxis, mini-buses and buses. Tanzania and Zimbabwe have done it.
more corporal punishment. A fine is nothing.
police crackdown: public service vehicles involved in far more accidents than private vehicles
provide more help to overstretched Road Transport Dept
need for national taxi and bus assoc. with code of conduct
limit number of people a bakkie may carry
quotas for various roads. Route 2 only serviced by 10 combis etc.
monitor no. of driver hours in public sector to combat fatigue
police to discipline taxi, mini-bus drivers
create police road safety or traffic dept. as autonomous body
police need to make much more effort to stop people going through red lights. What statistics on this? Are most offenders combis?
pay bus and mini-bus drivers salary instead of commission based on number of trips
MVA Fund should reclaim money paid to accident victims from owner of buses, mini-buses
The Foreign Experience
Mats Arvesten (Swedish National Road Association)
Recommendations:
Vision Zero: don’t accept that anyone die or get injured in road accidentsDon’t focus on the minor accidents. Focus on the fatalities2% less speed, 10% fewer accidents. 5% less speed, 25% fewer people killed.
surveillance day and night
Here 0.8% alcohol limit. Sweden 0.2 % limit. Can drink half a beer. Encourage designated drivers who get a badge in pubs
10% of population is randomly breathalysed every year. Do random tests so frequently that people know they’ll be caught some time16 yr. old children start driving with one teacher (parent etc.) until they are 18. Make them wait two years, get lots of practice.
special courses for professional drivers. Good business if drivers follow rules, speed limit etc. Some companies track their vehicles
speed governors in municipal vehicles
if you can drive faster than 30km over a pedestrian crossing, remove the crossing. People believe they are safe, fatalities occur. Should have built up crossing (75 mm. high) at same level as pavement. Cars have to slow down.
make one lane a pedestrian crossing. People automatically turn and look for oncoming traffic
create infrastructure that supports the right behaviour
build soft walls down the median of highways. Can’t meet oncoming trafficencourage seat belt use. All children must use car seats. If you wear seat belt, pay 20% less insurance. If you do the right thing, you get something back.
in Sweden seat belts in cars since 1969. Still a struggle. 90 –95 % use them out of town. 60 – 65 % in town. Children nearly 100%.trucks have seatbelts. Now all long distance buses have seatbelts. Pressure is now coming from the passengers.
need dedicated traffic police, not completely different police
90km/hr for buses, 80km/hr for trucks in Sweden. If bus speeds are too low, become a hazard, more overtaking etc. Be careful raising speed too much.
offer a deal: change up to 90 km/hr. if you put a governor
zero tolerance of drunk driving in Sweden
plantings in median of highways, but tree trunks must be thin
Audience recommendations:
look at own statistics: learn from the years where things improve, even if only temporarily
seatbelts in buses and mini-buses
widen road between Gabs and Francistown: make more soft shoulders using plantings, also cuts down on glare from lights
make roads more cyclist friendly
strong maintenance programme for roads, sirens at railway crossing, street lights that work, fix potholes etc.
centralised transport system
buses that run on certain schedules
possibility of light rail system
Social Responsibility II: The Oil Industry
Mr. B. Sekwababe (GM for Shell Oil)
3 critical areas: road, road user, vehicle
in oil industry have to go through intensive training to be a driver
seatbelts are policy
driving at night: can’t drive after 6 p.m in wintercellphone policy: not allowed while driving. fired if caught
compulsory resting every 200 km while driving
Shell involved in children’s traffic schoollong distance transport operators competition
road safety quiz for school children with prizes
‘Teach your child’ leafletsRecommendations:
better signage and sign positioning
maintain roads especially verges where there’s tall grassremove animals from roads
create capacity and skills: inspectors, traffic management
encourage personal responsibility regarding alcohol and drugs
driver fatigue: major issue, facilities along the road where people can stop and stretch, get a drink of water
regular car inspections, police among the traffic rather than at a road block. People speed after road blocks
mushrooming of driving schools: need one syllabus and stringent testing/training of trainers
build culture of road safety
road safety materials at petrol stations
Audience recommendations:
petrol stations built half way between towns with gardens where families, drivers can stop and rest, children can run around
statistics (fatalities, injuries) should be included in road safety materials which are put at petrol stations
create a civil society organisation focusing on drunk driving (i.e. MADD)
Social Responsibility I: The Liquor Industry
Mr. John Harris (MD for KBL)
liquor industry contributes 6.3% to GDP
employs 40,000 people
through KMS Trust, gets involved in road safety campaigns
informs customers about road safety and hazards of drinking excessively
billboards throughout the country
first TV commercial about drunk driving
concerned about legislation that encroaches on rights of responsible majority
need codes of conduct about advertising, minors, responsible attitudes, selling alcohol to disorderly people etc.
contributes to discussion on Trade and Liquor Act
changed tactics in 2002 and looked more at effects of alcohol abuse
low alcohol beers, banning alcohol just leads to underground distilleries that make potent, sometimes lethal brews etc.
higher taxes do not lead to less drinking. Money taken from other necessities to finance drinking
Recommendations:
look at root causes
enforce blood alcohol limits and prosecute offenders
focus on youth
Audience recommendations:
provide funds for campaign to teach people how to drink responsibly
in TV ads tell people exactly how many beers they can drink without going over the limit
control people spilling out of bars, littering, being disorderly etc.
fund organisations that rehabilitate alcoholics
strong liquor traders association to display code of conduct
give breathalysers to bars and petrol stations where people can check their levels before driving or having another drink
translate code of conduct into Setswana
reduce alcohol level in beers
health warnings on the side of beer cans as on cigarette packets
do away with tins: littering
tax high alcohol beer heavily
Minister of Health, Mrs. J. Phumaphi - comments
alcohol is addictive: people need help to give it up
control abuse of alcohol as regional initiative
legislative measures needed to control current abuse of alcohol
no health benefits from alcohol
must lower alcohol content in beers
Incident Management and Emergency Services
Mr. P. Proctor (Med. Rescue)
in Bots. no emergency service vehicles
no national minimum standards of medical care, no national curriculum for EMS (emergency medical services) training, no national standards for rescue, no medical ‘safety net’ in BotswanaBotswana is ranked 9th in the world for road accidents
88% vs. 12% deaths in developing vs. developed countries
golden hour concept: treat, extricate, medical intervention, smooth transition to hospital
Gaborone to Francistown: most deaths, followed by Gaborone to Lobatse
Recommendations:
privatise emergency medical services
need minimum standard of care: enforce rule that ambulance has to stop at every accident
need ground and air service
double number of traffic officers: currently only 508 traffic officers
police must focus on accident hot spots
train all police officers in basic first aid
Audience recommendations:
link with BDF helicopters and vehicles, also can be training opportunity for BDF officers
everyone paying P400 p.a. to MVA. Increase this by few thebe to enable us to buy proper EMS vehicles
police should respond to injured people before asking questions
999 number must work in all towns and villages
need for coordinated plan when attending to accidents: police, ambulances etc.
medical service has to be jacked up. No point in getting EMS vehicles if people later die at bad hospitals
emergency lane on roads. Need for cars to make way for ambulances
Closing Address: The Hon. Chief Justice Mr. J. M. Nganunu
Key points:
recommendations can be acted upon without further consultation because representation at symposium from virtually all sectors
mood is for urgent action
too much carnage
action long overdue
no sacred cows, including real cows
possible to take action about causes of accidents: act with speed
statistics: total inability by large sectors of population to use roads responsibly
some actions can be taken immediately with few budgetary adjustments
Recommendations:
take action on grazing cattle on fenced national roads
education: need to change attitudes
constant road patrols needed
courts to expedite trials of traffic offenders
expand traffic courts
some recommendations will conflict with national objectives
etc. but doesn’t mean we can’t look at themcreate committee that watches what happens, make sure that report doesn’t sit on shelf but is actually acted upon.