EA991 and Partners Improve Road Safety at Tsabong Primary School to 4-stars (Botswana)

This article was originally prepared by EA991 (Image credits above and below – EA991)

Emergency Assist 991 (EA991), in collaboration with Tsabong District Road Safety Committee and the Society of Road Safety Ambassadors (SORSA), has reached a major milestone in improving road safety for Tsabong Primary School in Botswana’s Kgalagadi District.

Through coordinated efforts, the safety rating of the school entrance increased from 3.8 to 4.3 stars using the iRAP Star Rating for Schools (SR4S) methodology, which rates pedestrian infrastructure safety on a scale from 1.0-star band (least safe) to 5.0-star band (safest). This achievement is in line with the National Commitment for Adolescent Wellbeing as well as the UN Decade of Action for Road Safety 2021-2030 by improving the safety of road infrastructure for all road users to at least 3 stars or better, and to ensure adequate road safety education for all.

At baseline, the school entrance was rated 3.8 stars due to several safety concerns, including the absence of essential signage, inadequate pedestrian crossing facilities, lack of speed calming measures, and vehicle speeds frequently exceeding the legal limit of 30 km/h.

Following road upgrades, the rating improved to 4.3 stars. Key improvements included:

Installation of new signage and road markings, such as school zone signs, speed limit signs, pedestrian crossing signs, and edge lines.
Implementation of speed calming measures (speed bumps) to reduce vehicle speeds and ensure compliance with the 30 km/h legal speed limit.

This accomplishment highlights the power of collaborative action between the government, private sector such as the mobility club – EA991, and civil society to meet national road safety goals, including the target of reducing road traffic fatalities and injuries by 50% by 2030. This successful model will be scaled up nationwide to ensure that at least 90% of schools in Botswana achieve 3-star rating or better by the end of the decade.

This initiative is supported by the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA), FIA Foundation, iRAP and the Government of Botswana through the Department of Road Transport Services.

Learn more about the SR4S partnership with EA991: