Rwanda National Police

By SGT Marie Grace Munezero

Every year on November 17, the world comes together for the international Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims.  

According to the 2018 World Health Organization (WHO) report, road accidents are the leading cause of death to children aged between 4 and 15 years. Although developing countries have only one percent of all vehicles in the world, it accounts for a vast majority (13 percent) of the 1.35 million accidents that occur each year, globally.

The report further shows that more than half (54%) of all road traffic deaths are vulnerable road users—pedestrians, cyclists, and riders of motorized two and three wheelers and their passengers.

The World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims was confirmed in a 60/5 Resolution adopted by the General Assembly on 26 October 2005, which aimed at improving global road safety.

In his message on the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims, UN Secretary General, António Guterres, urged for strong partnership to reduce road carnage.

“Urgent action remains imperative. On this World Day, I call on all to join forces to address the global road safety crisis,” Guterres said.

In Rwanda, about 5000 road traffic accidents occurred last year (2018) across the country, claiming about 700 lives, injuring 2000 others. At least Rwf20 billion was spent in compensation for the 3000 property destroyed in road accidents during the same period.

The vast majority of accidents in Rwanda is caused by reckless human behaviors—speeding, distractive driving (use of handset when driving, riding or crossing the road), impaired driving (drunkenness and use of illicit drugs), bad maneuvers and overtaking or speeding in sharp corners, among others.

“These are the major challenges to sustainable road safety and security, which Gerayo Amahoro campaign was designed to address,” says Commissioner of Police (CP) John Bosco Kabera, the Rwanda National Police spokesperson.

Gerayo Amahoro, loosely translated as ‘arrive safe’, is a 52-week—all year round—campaign launched in May to raise awareness on standard and safer road usage, and to prevent all reckless human actions on road that lead to road carnage.

“The campaign, which is now in its 28th week, targets all categories of road users from all groups of drivers to motorcyclists, cyclists, passengers, different groups of pedestrians (students, people in the market, churches, on roads and in their respective community gatherings),” says CP Kabera.

“The human factor exerts a dominant influence on road safety; education, training and enforcing traffic rules and regulations are some of the effective measures to influence positive behaviors of all road users.”

The campaign is designed for all people living in Rwanda, we have interacted with different of road users; we have visited many churches and schools across the country, we have met different sections of drivers—public service vehicles, special hires, truck drivers—motorcyclists, cyclists; met with owners and employees of hospitality facilities and conducted special operations against impaired driving and drunk-driving in particular, and all these are creating impact.

Statistics indicate that road accidents reduced by 25 percent between May and October compared to the same period last year.

The campaign conducted between August and October targeted 2, 379 primary and 1, 647 secondary schools across the country.

At least 652 drivers were arrested in the last eight weeks after they were found driving while drunk while other 588 were arrested in the same period for disconnecting speed governor devices in their vehicles. More than 1200 drivers have been arrested since the beginning of this year after they were found driving while drunk. No one is permitted to go on the wheel or ride while above the maximum 0.08 of body alcohol content.

Compulsory installation of speed governor devices in public service vehicles and trucks, acquisition of more hi-tech gadgets like speed guns and CCTV camera across all highways and compulsory regular vehicle mechanical inspection; all are aimed at ensuring that road safety standards are respected.

“This is a cycle and continuous campaign… it’s a gradual process from enforcement, choice to making it a cultural heritage,” says CP Kabera.

Gerayo Amahoro also involves erecting more traffic control signposts and pedestrian crosswalks.

René-Claude Manzi, the operation manager at ATPR, [Association for Transport Companies in Rwanda] says Gerayo Amahoro campaign has created a difference.

“When people start talking about something… that’s the beginning of change because they already know it, and this is what we see today, six months after Gerayo Amahoro campaign started. We are also seeing reduction in accidents involving our drivers or vehicles,” says Manzi.

Innocent Twahirwa, the operation manager for Rwanda Federation of Transport Cooperatives (RFTC) said that since Gerayo Amahoro started none of their vehicles has been involved in a serious accident.

“We are seeing change in attitude of drivers, the way pedestrians use the road, and respect for pedestrian crosswalks. We hope that if this campaign is maintained, which is also our responsibility and in our benefit, there will be massive change in the way people use the road,” says Twahirwa.

According to Daniel Ngarambe, the president of Ferwacotamo, a federation of taxi-moto cooperatives in the country, Gerayo Amahoro is changing the mindset of many motorcyclists.

“We are now working closely with the Police and other institutions to educate motorcyclists to obey traffic rules and to reorganize the whole transport sector,” says Ngarambe.

“We have also taken measures which we hope will change the behaviours of our members including owning their motorcycles rather than working on contracts which influences them to break rules as a way of making more money. This is influencing many motorcyclists to join cooperatives, feeling responsible and changing their attitudes.”