Experts push for child-centred road safety in Dar

DAR ES SALAAM: ROAD safety experts, in collaboration with Amend, a non-governmental organisation, have conducted an awareness campaign targeting primary school pupils in Dar es Salaam, aiming to reduce accidents around schools.

The programme, supported by the Cotswold Foundation, reached pupils from Pius Msekwa and Tegeta Primary Schools, among others. It focused on equipping children with knowledge while also gathering their views and experiences on daily journeys to and from school.

Speaking over the weekend in Dar es Salaam, Amend Tanzania Country Director, Mr Simon Kalolo, said the initiative was designed to highlight the importance of addressing the needs of vulnerable road users, especially children who face heightened risks.

“This project shifts focus towards a ‘people-centred’ or ‘child-centred’ approach in road design, moving away from the traditional car-centred model,” he explained. “Through the World Bank–funded DMDP II project, worth over 330 million US dollars, Tanzania expects to improve about 260 kilometres of roads between 2025 and 2030.”

Mr Kalolo emphasised that creating a platform for children to share their perspectives with project officials and engineers is key to building safer and more inclusive infrastructure.

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“By integrating children’s contributions into the design process, we can construct roads that are safer for pedestrians and people with special needs,” he noted.

He added that the initiative enjoys support from the government, including TARURA, and the World Bank, which are keen to strengthen public engagement. “If we successfully advocate for child-focused road construction, we can help prevent countless deaths and injuries among school-going children,” Kalolo stressed.

Amend also plans to leverage the media to boost awareness of child-focused road safety among policymakers, project implementers, and the general public.

Ms Agatha Tembo, representing DMDP-KMC, underscored the importance of stakeholder cooperation in curbing accidents. She cautioned against parents or children taking wooden planks from construction sites, which are meant to ensure safety, and repurposing them for domestic use.

Ms Jacinta Toke, from NIMETA CONSULT (Environment), urged communities to embrace responsibility for road infrastructure. “We must avoid polluting the environment, blocking drainage systems, and causing flooding on roads,” she said.

Prosper Lyimo, a teacher at Kunduchi Primary School, called on teachers to engage students both before and after classes to remind them of potential dangers near construction sites and to encourage vigilance.