Africa-Press – Lesotho. The Department of Road Safety in collaboration with the Ministry of Public Works and Transport held a ministerial workshop to review and validate the National
Road Safety Strategic Plan – 2020-2030 on Wednesday. During this forum, the Director of Road Safety Dr. Kinini Matthews stated that the need to strengthen road safety measures worldwide was highlighted in the 2015 Sustainable
Development Goal (SDG) 3.6, which sets a target of reducing the number of road accidents, deaths and injuries with 50 percent by 2020, and SGD 11.2 that sets the target
to provide access to safe, affordable, accessible and sustainable transport systems for all, improving road safety, notably by expanding public transport
with special attention to the needs of those in vulnerable situations, women, children, persons with disabilities and the elderly. “In Lesotho the available data reports that road accidents impact the young school-going
age and the most economically active segment of the population which is (5 to 29 years old), with 45 percent of all injury-related deaths in this age group
occurring on the roads. The validation was first initiated in 2019, and at the completion of the validation workshop, Lesotho shall have the National Road
Safety Strategic Plan aligned with Lesotho National Strategic Development Plan (NSDP II) and the United Nations (UN) post 2020/2030 Global Road Safety
Strategy 2030,” she noted. She said that upon the final completion of the Strategic Plan, the following shall be improved; the effectiveness of existing laws and the standards and the directives
regulating roads, vehicles and road users. Speaking at the occasion, the Ministry of Public Works and Transport Principal Secretary Maile Masoebe added that they are worried because of the way people are losing
their lives over road accidents. He said that the review of the strategic plan is the only way to ensure that the road accidents will deteriorate. He added
that UN has encouraged the department to implement this strategic plan. Road Fund Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Nkekeletse Makara said he has confidence in
the contents of the plan and indicated that there will definitely be a change. He said even though it may be challenging to implement the plan, they will do all
they can to improve their services and reduce the impacts of road accidents. He further said they are going to support Road Safety department to accomplish the set goals.
