The Steps Forward

Road Safety for women

Road safety is an important issue for women, particularly in underdeveloped countries.

 

“The first thing to say here is that road traffic deaths and injuries are predictable and preventable – through a safe system, an approach focused on improving road user behavior such as enforcing speed limits and the use of approved safety devices; improving roads and infrastructure such as ensuring proper street lighting and ensuring safe separation between pedestrians and vehicles; and improving vehicle safety through compliance with international safety standards” [3].

 

“Safe access to transport, especially after dark, is also an important road safety issue, in that harassment, fear of violence and other threats can increase the vulnerability of female road users” [3].

 

Road safety is related to the advancement in gender equality.

 

“Safety for women on roads has always been an issue” [4].

 

“Safety is vital. A broad array of studies show that unsecure transport facilities and infrastructure constrain women’s lives, by limiting their access to education and social services” [2].

 

“Creating a more inclusive and diverse road safety agenda can improve everyone’s living standards” [1].

 

“It’s clear that road safety is a critically important gender equality issue” [1].

 

Gender equality can be achieved through road safety.

 

“Gender equality is a basic human right. And when it comes to transport, the gender gap is bigger than most of us imagine” [2]. 

 

“The Academic Expert Group identifies gender and equity as among the areas most affected by road safety, together with health, poverty, environment, employment, education and sustainable communities” [2].  

 

Road safety is also related to women empowerment.

 

“Road safety is linked to women’s economic and social empowerment, poverty eradication, safety from gender-based violence. It helps determine the extent of their freedom of choice and movement for women, young women, and girls” [3].

 

By ensuring road safety, there would be an equal participation and better opportunities for women.

 

“Women look at streets, footpaths, and roads differently” [4].

 

“Women experience and perceive road safety differently from men. As a result, they have different needs and, vitally, can bring a uniquely influential voice to revitalize the road safety agenda” [1].

 

“In the absence of any real-time change or an increase in the number of street-lights available on dark and dreary lanes, whose character shifts by the hour of the clock and becomes creepy and mysterious in the dead hour of the night, the more urgent question to be asked; is whether women really feel emboldened and empowered by this change” [4].

 

Women empowerment promotes gender equality that would help improve the lives of families and communities supported by women. Women that are mothers or breadwinners of the family could benefit on road safety in order to improve their lives and the lives of the families they support.

“Women are more likely to be exposed to traffic risks because they make more frequent trips, as pedestrians, pick up or drop off children, run errands, or visit people” [3].

Unsafe roads would limit opportunities particularly for women.

 

“Without safe and secure travel options, women simply can’t take advantage of economic and social opportunities” [2].

 

“Part of the reason why women do not feel safe in public spaces is because of the threat of harassment, voyeuristic glare, eve-teasing, chain-snatching, and other gender-based offences and sexual threats which still pervades” [4].

“Gender-based violence and crimes in urban areas are found to be correlated to a lack of lighting and public visibility. When an area is remote and dark due to the absence of street-lights, it automatically becomes unsafe” [4].

 

“Women are less safe, no matter their role when using the road, despite being those with a safer behavior” [2].

 

Safe roads would support women empowerment to help them gain opportunities.

 

“Safe roads and affordable transportations are fundamental conditions for women and their children to access work, education, health, and social services, including one’s social network of family, friends, and forms of entertainment” [3].

 

References


[1] Henry, Nneka. “Why road safety in Africa is a gender equality issue.” Nation Media Group, 29 March 2022, https://nation.africa/kenya/blogs-opinion/blogs/why-road-safety-in-africa-is-a-gender-equality-issue-3763714.

[2] Burlacu, Alina Florentina and Carvajal, Karla Gonzalez. “Who is safer on the road, men or women?” The World Bank Group, 3 March 2021, https://blogs.worldbank.org/transport/who-safer-road-men-or-women.

[3] “Women and Road Safety, An Interview with Nneka Henry of UNRSF.” International Gender Champions, 28 September 2021, https://genderchampions.com/news/women-and-road-safety-an-interview-with-nneka-henry-of-unrsf#_ftn1.

[4] Bubna, Vidhi. “Women’s Road Safety: Feasible or Distant Dream?” The ArmChair Journal, 2 September 2020, https://armchairjournal.com/women-road-safety.

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