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{
    "id": 1184485,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1184485/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 94,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Crystal Asige",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "Mr. Speaker, Sir, it is time that we did something to address road crashes and road Safety policies in Kenya shall assist with this. Vulnerable groups, especially persons with disabilities, senior citizens and children, are in dire need of safer roads in Kenya. Our poorly designed roads, no legal provisions for universal design, lack of proper training and education on road safety, poor regulation and enforcement and the poor public transport systems only exacerbate the situation. The World Health Rankings put Kenya at 48 deaths out of every 100,000 people on the roads. Western countries report death rates much lower than Kenya due to their road safety policies, safe street designs and safe road awareness in place. Kenya’s policies on road design and safety must be completely overhauled in order to protect vulnerable road users. Kenyan road designs need to start following a safe systems approach, which puts the greatest responsibility on the road users who can do the greatest harm as they have the highest responsibility to reduce road crashes. We need to make streets safe by design, with traffic-calmed pedestrian crossings and compact intersections. This will minimize dangers for pedestrians and cyclists. Such policies anchored in legislation would lead to safer roads, as majority of us walk and use public transport daily in all our counties. As we approach the festive season, I would like to bring attention to all Kenyans to road safety and remind us about how devastating road deaths and injuries that lead to disability can be. Mr. Speaker, as I conclude, I wish to reiterate and call on us al to become deliberate champions of universal design and road safety in Kenya. This may be done by a few ideas - 1) Enacting legislation that ensures new roads incorporate walkways, crossings, cycle tracks, functioning street lights, bus shelters, trees, greenery and street furniture, with all of these elements built following universal design standards; 2) Introduction of mandatory units in accessibility and universal design across all professional educational curricular relevant to infrastructural design, development and delivery; 3) Introduction of a curriculum on road safety courses to be taught in all schools from a young age. Early education and training on road safety will lead to these eager young minds becoming better road users and motor vehicle drivers in future; 4) A complete overhaul of courses in our driving schools; 5) Introducing legislation that mandates all motor vehicles to have regular evaluation to guarantee their roadworthiness and regular refresher courses for these drivers; 6) At a personal level, ensuring that Kenyans pay attention to, and follow all traffic rules while driving; and 7) Encouraging all Kenyans to not call traffic crashes “accidents” and, instead, educate society about why “road crashes” is often the more accurate term."
}