Uganda children’s school journeys made safer with the Safe School Zones assessment Road Safety Programme

In Uganda, 2,377 pedestrians were reported to be seriously injured in road crashes in 2021 by police. Contributing to these risks was the lack of infrastructure for pedestrians, where only 2% of 40km/h+ speed limit-roads assessed in the country have formal sidewalks for pedestrians (iRAP, 2023).

Under the FIA Road Safety Grant Programme, the Federation of Motorsports (FMU), together with its partners (including the FIA), have begun implementing a Safe School Zones assessment Road Safety Programme to combat these road safety challenges in the Wakiso District, Kampala Metropolitan of Uganda.

The programme, which utilizes the Star Rating for Schools (SR4S) tool, aims to achieve safer routes to schools through a holistic approach of assessing school infrastructure, teaching road accessibility and crossing skills to children, and providing safety education to two-wheeler users (Boda-bodas). It includes working with teachers and school administration to instil road safety discipline and knowledge among school children, along with installing safer road infrastructure.

One of the key components of the programme is the training of key stakeholders, including the Wakiso District Officers, Municipality Officers, Education Officers, Traffic Police, Civil Society Organizations and School representatives on SR4S methodologies, which equips them with the knowledge and skills needed to assess school zone environments effectively. This capacity-building effort ensures that stakeholders are empowered to contribute meaningfully to the implementation of road safety initiatives in their respective roles.

Subsequently, in February 2024, FMU joined Agha Khan Group to implement road upgrades at Agha Khan school with the installation of a new zebra crossing and road signages.

Overall, the Safe School Zones assessment Road Safety Programme in Uganda serves as a model for proactive and collaborative approaches to road safety, highlighting the importance of multi-sectoral partnerships, community engagement, and capacity-building efforts in creating safer environments for all road users, particularly vulnerable populations such as school children.