Road safety training for African FIA Clubs in Tanzania with a focus on safer journeys to schools

Image credit: FIA Foundation

Representatives of nine African Council of Touring and Automobile Clubs (ACTA) from Kenya, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Mozambique, Namibia, Botswana, South Africa and Nigeria gathered in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania for a three-day road safety training from 31 January to 2 February 2024.

The training course had two components: a road safety training over two days organised by Delft Road Safety Courses and a third day on safe journeys to schools. The objective of the training was to equip FIA clubs with basic knowledge and tools to design road safety activities and advocate for road safety, focusing on evidence-based interventions to reduce road crashes. The course emphasized the Safe System approach and school assessment tools such as SR4S (Star Rating for Schools) and SARSAI (School Area Road Safety Assessments and Improvements).

Image credit: FIA Foundation

Nathalie Chiavassa, iRAP’s Safer Journeys Lead for Africa, was a key presenter at the training, presenting on the infrastructure improvements within a safe system, road design solutions to improve school zone safety, and case studies of typical road upgrades saving lives and preventing serious injuries. Nathalie also introduced SR4S as an effective tool in measuring, managing and communicating the risk children are exposed to on a journey to school.

Following the training, the clubs are encouraged to use insights gained from their learnings to submit proposals for the FIA Road Safety Grant Programme, including a stream for School Assessment Programmes following the FIA School Assessment Toolkit which is based on iRAP’s SR4S methodology.

The training has provided African FIA clubs with the necessary knowledge and tools to effectively promote road safety and advocate for evidence-based interventions particularly around school zones, contributing to the reduction of road crashes in Africa.