Women are safer drivers

More than 2 800 men have been injured and 317 killed in accidents on Namibia's roads so far this year, while slightly more than 1 600 women have been injured and 122 killed in crashes. These shocking statistics were revealed at the first Women Road Safety Conference that was hosted by the Motor Vehicle Accident (MVA) Fund and the Automobile Association (AA) of Namibia.The conference was held last week Thursday under the theme 'Women Influence for Safer Roads'.The conference, which attracted close to 150 women from both the public and private sectors, was aimed at promoting road safety awareness and educating women in making road safety a priority, in order to reduce the number of fatalities on the country's roads.The conference came about as a result of the fund's crash statistics that continuously indicate the high risk faced by male vehicle occupants as drivers or passengers. According to a statement by the fund, women in general are perceived as safer drivers than men and therefore women can positively influence road safety behaviour in their male counterparts and society at large.Year-to-date crash statistics collated by the fund from 1 January until 28 October revealed that 2 891 males were injured in 3 042 crashes, while 317 succumbed to those crashes. This is a big number in comparison to their female counterparts, who recorded 1 648 injuries and 122 fatalities during the same period.Even though these figures paint a bleak picture, it is worth noting that the overall year-to-date statistics show a steady decrease in crashes (9%), injuries (18%) and fatalities (31%), when compared to the same period last year.“These numbers are indicative of the fact that as a nation we are making steady progress in reducing the number of crashes and resultant injuries and fatalities. “I would like to attribute this positive trend to enhanced collaboration between road safety partners, as well as the general public, who seem to take the issue of road safety seriously and are willing to fight against death on our roads,” said MVA Fund CEO, Rosalia Martins-Hausiku. Khomas governor Laura McLeod-Katjirua commended both the fund and AA for hosting an event of such magnitude, in the quest to empower women to be the voice of road safety, while re-enforcing the concepts of co-dependence and shared responsibility in the fight against injury and death on our roads.The MVA Fund continues to strive towards preserving human life through various road safety interventions, which include seasonal and ongoing road safety campaigns, studies on crashes and skills capacity building in emergency response services and specialised fields. “This conference serves as a platform for the Namibian woman to raise her voice in support of safer roads, by influencing policies and breaking the existing status quos,” said Martins-Hausiku.In a speech read on behalf of works and transport minister John Mutorwa, he commended the fund and the AA for their continuous efforts geared towards supporting the various arms of national developmental goals. “Women are determined to be the catalyst of change in road safety and have the courage to stand up and say enough is enough, let us stop the carnage on Namibia's roads. I, therefore, applaud the MVA Fund and AA Namibia for hosting the first Women Road Safety Conference, and the subsequent establishment of the Women in Road Safety Namibia Network. “This network will allow women to actively and positively influence society on road safety and safe driver behaviour,” Mutorwa said.He further acknowledged the remarkable work done by the fund in the various spheres of road safety. “The fund has over the years planted small seeds in the form of public education and road safety campaigns, and with rigorous nurturing and appropriate strategies coupled with intensive stakeholder management, these seeds are today entrenched and I can affirm that road safety is on our nation's agenda.”Additionally, the fund continues to play a significant role in upgrading the standards of public healthcare facilities, which resulted in access to quality healthcare for all. This has been done through infrastructure, skills capacity development and tailor-made rehabilitation programmes for its seriously injured patients.Meanwhile, the 2018 Festive Season Road Safety Campaign will be launched soon and everyone is urged to think of how they can contribute towards this annual campaign that seeks to curb the country's festive season road carnage. ELLANIE SMIT

Women are safer drivers

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Namibian Sun 2024-11-26

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Women are safer drivers

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Namibian Sun 2024-11-26

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