At the Zambia Road Safety Trust, we are committed to making the roads safer for all in every corner of Zambia, and through solid partnerships, we are living this dream. In collaboration with the Cotswold Foundation, ZRST has implemented various life-changing road safety interventions that range from education, infrastructural development, and public awareness. We would also want to express our profound appreciation to the Cotswold Foundation, whose continued support has been crucial in giving our work greater prominence in saving lives on the roads of Zambia.
Education
One of the keystones driving our strategy is enforcing a culture of awareness on road safety among the youth. Thanks to Cotswold’s generous funding, this has enabled ZRST to provide road safety education programs engaged in schools across Zambia and empower students and teachers with lifelong safe road usage habits. It is designed to teach everything from using seat belts through to the dangers involved in speeding and reckless driving. They train the youths, mostly vulnerable on our roads, through education programs. In addition, through public service announcements on the radio, sponsored by Cotswold, we have been able to give road safety messages to better outreach to the public on matters that affect daily road use.
Safeguarding Schoolchildren’s Journeys
Children can be considered one of the most vulnerable groups of road users. The daily threat of travelling through high volumes of traffic on inadequate infrastructure makes zones around schools particularly hazardous. Assisted by Cotswold, the “Safer Journeys” program by ZRST is committed to the identifying and upgrading of hazardous areas around schools. This has included working with local authorities to enable ZRST to make representations and sometimes to sponsor infrastructure improvements such as speed humps, sidewalks, and safety signage that ensure the safety of schoolchildren traveling to and from school. It has brought about not only safe routes to thousands of young students but also a sense of realization within the communities of the need to safeguard our children on the roads.
Advancing Advocacy and Policy
Besides education and infrastructure, ZRST is engaged in effecting systemic changes that can yield lasting impact. Thus far, the partnership by Cotswold has enabled ZRST to work hand in hand with government agencies like the Road Transport and Safety Agency and the Zambia Police to advocate for enforceable and effective policies on road safety. Our most successful efforts include the application of the 30km/h speed limit around designated school zones to minimize the prospect of any accidents in high-pedestrian areas. Advocacy work supported by Cotswold has also helped us bring key issues to the fore of the road safety agenda in Zambia, ensuring that policies reflect the needs and safety of the public.
Data-Driven Approaches and Research
ZRST will make continuous effort in data collection and research to comprehend the root cause of traffic accidents in Zambia. With resources from Cotswold, we have been able to enhance our capacity regarding data collection and analysis on road safety. We use this information during strategic planning and targeted interventions. The result of such work will be more efficient safety programs and recommendations for infrastructural improvements. By making use of these trends and accident hotspots, ZRST can also develop more efficient safety programs and recommendations for infrastructure improvements. All this provides the assurance that our initiatives answer to real needs and that roads in Zambia will be safer for all.
Community Involvement: A Key Component of Success
On the issue of road safety, ZRST holds the view that responsibility must be shared. The process of community engagement is very vital because it helps nurture a safety culture, and we have been able to engage in several such community outreach events with support from Cotswold. This has ranged from working with local leaders and influencers on road shows to various forms of safety demonstrations. All these have increased the sense of ownership of road safety practices within the communities. This grass-roots network, fostered through our engagement with community leaders and schools, assists in spreading the word about safe driving behavior throughout Zambia. The commitment that comes from deep community involvement ensures that the amplification of our impact will be loud, creating a movement in unison toward safer roads.
Overcoming Challenges and Moving Forward
ZRST has faced challenges that range from a shortage of infrastructure to rapid urbanization, deeply entrenched attitudes toward traffic rules. The many challenges were overcome with unwavering support from Cotswold, allowing us to widen our scope of operations in areas of key importance. In the future, ZRST is committed to making reduction in road accidents and fatalities through well-planned proactive initiatives that precisely meet the peculiar road safety challenges of Zambia. We’re particularly excited about our plans for 2024, which include expanding the Safety Journeys program into more schools, strengthening our enforcement campaigns, and continuing to advocate for safer infrastructure in high-hazard areas. In this work to make our roads safer in every location, we realize the road ahead is best navigated by the commitments and in partnership.
Appreciation to Cotswold Foundation
We would like to extend our sincere appreciation to the Cotswold Foundation for their vital support on behalf of all the ZRST team and the communities we serve. It is because of this support that finally, ZRST is in a position to start making a difference in the landscape of road safety in Zambia; it has given us the tools to save lives, educate generations to come, and construct safer roads for all. We are creating a safer Zambia together, one step at a time. Many thanks to the Cotswold Foundation for being among our linkage partners in this process of seeking to make the roads safe for all.
