At the core of every iRAP programme is a partnership to save lives. Working together to eliminate high-risk roads will unlock the win-win benefits of safer roads, leading to reduced burden on families, communities, and the health system.
Kwapda’as Road Safety Demand Trust (KRSD Trust), with the support of iRAP and the Global Alliance of NGOs for Road Safety, has been working with the school and community leaders to improve road safety. The work of KRSD Trust and iRAP Star Rating for Schools to improve road safety for Lea Primary School students has been profiled in a moving video (see below).
Standing in the school yard, Teacher Mrs Mildred G. Sarpiya said, “A lot of children have died on this road. In a month, 4 crashes. We’ve been carrying children to hospital. Vehicles knock them down. Their high speed has become a problem for our children.”
Project Leader Ayomide Akinpelu said, “We are assessing a road that is very dangerous. As an NGO we are using the Star Rating for Schools (SR4S) tool to assess the road. We are looking at achieving the minimum 3-star (safety rating).”
KRSD Trust’s assessment identified several safety issues to be addressed — a lack of sidewalks and safe crossing facilities, proximity of the entrance to the road, damage to road signs and excessive traffic speed.
Mr Akinpelu said, “We have let community leaders know the problems we are facing on this road. We are calling on governments to implement 30km speed limits.
“Using the tool has been a very good experience for us so we can see how to tackle the problem,” he said.
Mrs Sarpiya called for drivers to slow down. “My advice to drivers is they should use the 30km/h so they are not killing people and to help our children to cross the road. High speed is a problem to us on this road.”
“We are grateful for the road safety. To the NGOS … honestly we are grateful and happy you are here to help us out of this problem,” she said.
KRSD Trust was established in 2011 and works in partnership with the Federal Road Safety Commission and local and international organisations around the world to improve road safety in Nigeria. It is creating 3-star or better school journeys with the support of the Star Rating for Schools Programme and initial training provided by the Global Alliance of NGOs for Road Safety.
After a pilot school assessment as part of the Alliance Advocate training in Kenya in 2018, KRSD Trust presented the results to the Federal Capital Territory Minister, Mallam Muhammad Bello and the minister committed to implement upgrades to six schools in the Federal Capital Region.
Their work continues and Mr Akinpelu has recently completed SR4S Train the Trainer instruction. Our congratulations to KRSD for its 10th Anniversary and for successfully advocating for safer streets in Nigeria. Many lives will be saved as you eliminate one and two-star roads around schools and celebrate with other partners the success of every road that is improved to three-star or better for all road users. Congratulations and keep up the great work!
Star Rating for Schools has been made possible thanks to the generous support of Founding Sponsor FedEx, Major Donor FIA Foundation and Global Programme Partner 3M. For more information on SR4S, including to sign up for more programme news, visit https://www.starratingforschools.org/
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