Is road safety now a mandatory part of the school curriculum? And if not, then why not? As drivers, we all witness pedestrian behaviour that suggests that the subject matter is incomplete or not well taught. Tamsin
My answer must start by recognising that most children – even the very youngest - get to and from school on foot (especially in rural areas). In many countries, allowing five and six-year-olds to do that would horrify public sensibilities.
In Kenya the practice is common…and here’s the punch line: the tiny ones are the best behaved! It is teenagers - walking mid-road in socially interactive groups – who seem to be in more need of further education.
Their conduct includes footballs, mobile phones, music earpieces, courting and general larking, at a time of life when they are naturally inclined to practice being, um… “assertive”.
Choosing to demonstrate that on a public road where two-tonne metal objects are travelling at 60 kph (16 metres per second) is perhaps not the wisest place to exercise their fledgling pre-adult status.
I am not privy to whether or what they might be taught about roadcraft, but there is one thing that is definitely not on the curriculum: when a group walking down the middle of a minor (often rural) road sees an approaching vehicle, they do eventually move to the side (as they should) …but invariably split to both sides (very wrongly). If it is not immediately obvious that they should all give way to the same side, and why, then consider this:
If one of the walkers stumbles from the edge towards the middle, the driver will instinctively swerve to miss them. No problem.
Unless that means swerving into the people on the other side of the road. Walking on both sides leaves the vehicle traffic less room to give ample leeway to either side or to take evasive action.
The global protocol is that you should always walk on the side of the road that has you “facing” oncoming traffic – so you can “see” what’s coming, not just hear it behind you (or turn to look and perhaps trip on a rock…and stumble). When a group moves to one side, every person should move to the same side.
In some countries, even cyclists are permitted (and sometimes required) to use that protocol, so they can see when they might need to dive into a ditch before they are unexpectedly rammed from behind and sent somewhere by air mail.
In parallel, it is obviously incumbent on every user of multi-purpose roads to be aware of, and to respect, the position of every other type of user.
And to understand that even the clearest “right of way” should never be “taken”. It has to be “given”.
In modern Kenya, it would be madness to omit road safety education – and numerous other eco and civic essentials - from the school curriculum.
The earlier education starts as a lifestyle guide the better, and even better if it extends to all public behaviour - littering, tree planting, noise, community pride, property integrity, first aid, fire fighting, learning to swim etc etc - not just road behaviour.
