Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) has pledged Euro 8 000 to Botswana through its affiliate Emergency Assist 991, as part of its support to the global cause for urgent action to cut road deaths, which is set to become a bigger killer than HIV/AIDs over the next 10 years.
Emergency Assist 991 Managing Director, Simon Modisaeman, said that “the money would be put to support and educate the general public on the 5 pillars of the Decade for Action on road safety”.
The 5 pillars of the campaign are: Road Safety Management, Safer Roads and mobility, safer vehicles, safer road users and post crash response.
He added they will support the government in its endeavour to reduce road accidents.
Modisaeman said traffic crashes have, over the years, continued to kill and maim a significant number of people in the country and the rest of the World at the rate of 1.3 million per annum.
Traffic statistics in Botswana indicate that a total of 4, 838 people perished on our roads between 2001 and 2010. On average this means that close to 500 people died each year.   
During the same period, there were 15, 657 serious injuries that will certainly have some lasting impact on the affected persons.
Modisaeman said accidents in Botswana can be attributed to excessive speed, pedestrian errors, careless driving and driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs. The Road Traffic Act defines a drunken driver as someone whose limit is above 0.35mg/ml per litre of breath.
He said the Decade of Action for Road Safety has also been a key issue in international fora in which Botswana has participated; these include the recent Accra resolutions, Dar es Salaam decisions and Moscow resolutions.
 The Minister of Transport and Communication, Frank Ramsden, officially launched the Decade of Action for Road Safety.
“Botswana cannot ignore such a worthy call for countries to ensure that effective and sustainable strategies are put in place to address the road carnage that has now become part of our lives,” he said.
“Let us all demonstrate commitment towards the attainment of the goals of the Decade of Action for Road Safety in Botswana within the period 2011 to 2020 and beyond,” he said.
Ramsden announced that Botswana National Road Safety Strategy is currently being developed and will be launched when completed.
Modisaeman said the UN Road Safety Collaboration, led by WHO, has developed a global plan for the Decade of Action against road Safety 2011-2020 and Governments, international agencies, civil society organizations, the private sector and other stakeholders are invited to support the Decade of Action campaign.
He urged the entire nation to become active promoters of road safety both at individual and organizational levels.
