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.