Total Zambia unveiled a Children’s Road Safety Park at Cherise Kids Park to educate and sensitize children on road safety.
At a time when the country is tragically affected by numerous road accidents, Total Zambia wishes to contribute more to the fight against unsafe behaviours on the road.Total Zambia did this by establishing an appropriate tool aimed at raising awareness on Road safety and preventing, as much as possible, further accidents on our roads especially for school aged children through a children’s road safety awareness program at Cherise Kids’ Park.
The recent development of new roads and increase in motorists in Zambia calls for educating and sensitizing children with practical tools on safe road crossing, walking or cycling on busy roads will help create a safer road environment for the children using roads in the country.
Speaking in Lusaka at the unveiling of the Children Road Safety Park, Total Zambia managing director Damien Ricour-Dumas said Zambia’s improved road network and increase in motorists has underlined the need for broader awareness on road safety.
“As a committed stakeholder to road safety in Zambia, Total signed a Memorandum of Understanding for the establishment of a Children Road Safety Park with Cherise Kids’ Park Management last year in December.” he said.
Mr. Ricour-Dumas noted that the initiative is aimed at creating a safe environment where children can be educated and sensitized on practical safe road crossing, walking or cycling along busy roads in the cities with single or dual carriage way- a road safety environment with a real urban road simulation.
“Children can use bicycles to try out the mock roadway, which duplicates road conditions children are likely to encounter when riding their bicycle on the street.”
Dumas added that the park is fully equipped with pedestrian crossings, a roundabout and numerous different traffic signs to observe. The creation of the Park also enhances the use of the Road Safety Cubes, provided by Total Zambia, last year, to Cherise Park as a supporting tool for the initiative which will undoubtedly improve awareness of road safety among school aged children.
“This is very important to us as Total because of the emphasis we place on road safety and the lives of motorists, pedestrians and cyclists sharing the use of Zambia’s roads,” he says.
And Minister of Transport and Communication Honourable Kapembwa Simbao said the facility and programme is an example of how if government and the private sector put their efforts together, they will not only achieve their targets but also achieve them quicker through initiatives and partnerships such as the one demonstrated by Total Zambia and Cherise Kids’ Park.
“The merging of two road safety initiatives -the Total ‘road safety cube’ initiative and the Cherise kids Park ‘children’s road safety awareness program’- into the children’s road safety facility and program has the capacity to help us realise our goal of making our roads safer for children.”
With more than 1,500 children under the age of 16 years involved in road accidents in 2014, the need for educating and sensitizing children on road safety remains a priority for all.
Thanks Cherise. Thanks Total Z. But shame on the councils which have sold public parks for houses. Shame on RATSA for failing to make sure that our roads are safe. Kids can be safe on the roads but drunk & speed drivers will not visit the park. Shame on PF for wasting money on bye elections which could have emproved the roads.