Harare, (New Ziana) – In response to the increasing number of fatal traffic accidents, Zimbabwe is rolling out a new Road Safety Audits Training Program aimed at improving highway infrastructure and reducing crashes.
The month-long initiative, which began on Thursday in Harare, is a collaborative effort between Road Safe Zimbabwe Trust and key transportation authorities.
A diverse group of participants, including professionals and students, are attending the program, joining virtually from different locations.
“This symposium is vital for engineers as it provides a platform to exchange ideas on how to mitigate road accidents and enhance the sustainability of our road infrastructure,” said Engineer Charity Zimunya from the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development.
The managing director of the Traffic Safety Council of Zimbabwe, Munesu Munodawafa, emphasized that the training would be pivotal in addressing the country’s ongoing road safety challenges.
“The goal of these audits and the associated training is to bring together engineers from a range of institutions, from ZINARA to local councils and the Department of Roads, to critically assess and improve our road infrastructure. “We are focusing on ensuring that roads are safer, looking at aspects like whether roads are forgiving in the event of an accident, and whether fatalities could be avoided,” he said.
Road Safe Zimbabwe Trust executive director Sam Nyaude echoed the same sentiments, adding; “This program is crucial as it underscores the importance of road design in preventing accidents. We are promoting a ‘safe systems’ approach that acknowledges human error and aims to minimize harm in the event of a mistake. Roads must be designed in a way that allows all modes of transport to coexist safely and reduces the likelihood of severe injury or death.”
The launch of the Road Safety Audits Training Program comes at a time when the country is grappling with a spike in traffic accidents, including a tragic incident two weeks ago at the Dzivarasekwa Turn-Off along Bulawayo Road, where eight people lost their lives when a haulage truck collided with a commuter omnibus.
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