REMOTELY AT RISK: ROAD SAFETY & RURAL CHILDREN

Children are vulnerable on our roads, but this is especially true for the rural child. In rural communities, there are fewer resources to create safer streets for children. As a result, low-income rural communities and their children are often forgotten when it comes to road safety.

In South Africa, 68% of schoolchildren walk to school. In rural areas, some children can walk as much as 3 hours per day. It is unjust that this is the length some of our children go through to get an education. In South Africa, education is often thought of as the solution to poverty, and there is credit to that. But for many children, especially those in rural areas, poverty itself is a barrier to education. Children cannot reliably and safely get to school.

To make roads safer for rural children, a combination of policy changes, infrastructure development, community participation, and education is essential.

UNDERSTANDING THE ROAD SAFETY RISKS FOR RURAL CHILDREN

Due to the remote and sparsely populated nature of rural areas, less resources are available to families. As a result, if there is only one school in an area, children must travel the distance to reach it, regardless of the distance.

In low-income communities, very few families have vehicles. Families need to rely on public transport or their children have to walk to school. Schools in low-income rural areas often face many financial restraints. A school bus is a necessity far beyond their means. Taxi services may provide transport for school children, but the lack of regulations around this means that it is not also without risk.
For child pedestrians, there are already many safety risks.
Children often walk to school without supervision. This means that they are responsible for their safety. As a result, they are vulnerable to bullying, abduction, sexual assault, injury or death. In rural areas, children may have to walk along poor roads, without pavements or pedestrian crossings. Many have to navigate crossing highways by themselves. Children are susceptible to being hit by a vehicle as they are less visible to drivers and lack good road awareness to always make correct judgements.

Rural areas may also lack enforcement of road safety laws which exacerbates the risks to children.

THE URGENT NEED FOR SAFER SCHOOL TRANSPORT

We have talked about the need for safe school transport in articles before. 36% of child fatalities up to the age of 19 years old are due to road-related incidents.
Many children have no other means of transport aside from taxis, or else walking. A school transport system would provide children who would otherwise be pedestrians a much safer way of getting to school. But, the current tragedies involving overcrowded taxis and unsafe drivers must be overcome first. Regulations around school transport vehicles must be improved to place the safety of our children at the forefront.
Schools do not only provide children with basic education. For those from low-income families who face socio-economic difficulties, a school can be a sanctuary. They can provide meals, basic healthcare, social resources and education, and offer extra-curricular activities to enrich children. Children who are unable to attend school are not only cut off from an education that can aid them in finding a sustainable future. They miss out on the other services and roles schools provide to kids. This makes safe and reliable school transport even more crucial.

ROAD SAFETY EDUCATION SAVES LIVES

Road-related incidents are the greatest cause of child fatalities. Thus, road safety education should be a mandatory part of school curriculums. This is especially true in rural communities where there may be a lower level of education. These families might not be equipped to teach road safety rules to their children.

When taught road safety in a way that is age-appropriate and engaging, children are enthusiastic to learn. Road safety for children should reflect their daily experiences. Arrive Alive stresses the importance of teaching children proper road-crossing techniques. This includes encouraging them to walk facing oncoming traffic, looking right and left before crossing and ensuring adult supervision in high-risk areas to prevent injuries or death.

EMPOWERING COMMUNITIES THROUGH AWARENESS

Children tend to reflect the general road safety behaviours, or lack thereof, of their community. This suggests that education on road safety cannot be the sole responsibility of schools. Rather, encouragement and awareness of road safety should include the greater community.

A paper on road safety education for children finds that although children may understand road safety rules in a classroom setting, they are far more likely to exhibit behaviours they see outside the classroom.
This could be an opportunity to involve your community to improve road safety for children and parents alike. Organising student walking patrols, having parents help children at road crossings and getting them involved in the discussion of school taxis will aid in improving safety.

We have previously spoken about our Halo Beanies project, which provides hi-visibility beanies for child pedestrians. We would love to get in touch with rural communities who wish to band together to knit beanies for their children.

Trying to change attitudes that seem ingrained in a community can be hard. Most of these problems may be larger than most people feel they have the power to fix. But change begins at home. If you do not feel like you have the power to change the country, then consider what you can do to change your town or even your neighbourhood. Please reach out to us to provide you with educational resources to help your community.

DEVELOPING INFRASTRUCTURE FOR SAFER ROADS

Rural areas see less road maintenance and are often left to decay. Roads that are not maintained become a danger to everyone, especially children.
In rural areas, it is common to see children playing together in the streets. Playing and walking around roads is very unsafe for children. They lack the same awareness of the roads as adults do. Playing distracts them from danger. They may not have learnt about road safety, and are not easily visible to drivers.
If children are expected to use the roads, we should ensure that roads are safer for them to use. This includes pavements, pedestrian crossings, and traffic-calming measures like speed bumps. Children are also least visible at dusk and dawn, therefore streetlights can enhance their visibility to drivers.

GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY

Our government needs to facilitate change by coordinating efforts between the Departments of Education and Transport, law enforcement and NPOs. Resources and policies must reflect a “child safety first” attitude.

A lot of road safety challenges are a systemic problem and require a comprehensive and multi-faceted effort to affect change. Greater investment should be directed towards road safety for rural children. The lack thereof has the greatest impact on a rural child’s daily experience.

To protect South Africa’s rural children, road safety must be prioritised. We need better infrastructure, stricter transport regulations, widespread education, and stronger policies. These interventions will reduce child pedestrian fatalities and make school commutes safer. Creating a secure travel environment for children is a fundamental responsibility that requires urgent and sustained action.