Chapter 14 – Road Safety: The Lifeline We Must Protect
Road safety refers to the set of measures taken to reduce and limit the risks of road accidents and their consequences. It is one of the key issues that the Reconstruction of Cameroon must address.
The Problem
The number of road accidents recorded daily reveals that the current government has failed in its road safety policy. Around 20,000 road accidents are recorded each year in Cameroon, and nearly 3,000 people die in these accidents. This means that in Cameroon, road accidents are deadlier than a civil war in terms of loss of human life—it is a true scourge. Political leaders seem unaware of the severity of the phenomenon. State agents placed on roadways excel only in harassing and extorting road users; they care very little about their safety.
Solutions
No one can claim to eradicate road accidents entirely, as they happen all over the world. However, measures must be taken to reduce their frequency and severity. This starts with identifying the main causes, which in Cameroon include: the condition of roads, the morality and training of drivers, the quality of vehicles in circulation, and the lack of regulation over garages responsible for vehicle maintenance.
Measure 1 – Construction, Maintenance, and Monitoring of Roads
Many road accidents are caused by narrow and poorly maintained roads. Studies show that 10% of accidents are due to poor road conditions, and 7% are caused by road narrowness. In response, everything must be done so that, in the short or medium term, all major cities in Cameroon are connected by highways. All roads nationwide must be monitored daily to detect and address anything that could lead to accidents. A pothole forming in the asphalt must be immediately filled; a poorly parked vehicle or any obstacle must be urgently removed. Traffic police, rather than being stationed at so-called "checkpoints", should instead be invested in road monitoring. The police must be equipped with the tools, vehicles, and personnel necessary for these preventive operations.
Measure 2 – Monitoring the Morality and Condition of Public Transport Drivers
Studies reveal that 10% of road accidents are due to drivers being under the influence of alcohol. Many drivers in Cameroon believe that alcohol or drugs give them courage at the wheel. The lives of citizens—especially in public transport—must not be entrusted to people with no sense of the value of human life. Truck and heavy vehicle drivers must also be scrutinized. It is often the school dropout or the family’s “black sheep” who becomes a truck driver, and once behind the wheel, the vehicle becomes a weapon of destruction. Vehicles must be entrusted only to responsible individuals. Therefore, licenses for trucks and public transport vehicles must only be issued after a moral background check. The everyday behavior of these drivers must be permanently monitored by the police intelligence services. For example, such drivers should neither be too young nor too old, must have a stable and healthy family life, and must undergo regular medical exams to renew their license.
Measure 3 – Driver Training
It is common in Cameroon for many drivers involved in accidents to have never received formal driving training. Most driving schools lack training vehicles for buses, coaches, or trucks. In fact, heavy vehicle driving is often learned "on the job." Driving schools struggle to invest in such large vehicles. To ensure public safety, the State must establish its own driving schools for training in heavy vehicle driving. The State must also train the instructors of these schools—as there are currently no centers for training driving instructors. In many cases, the instructors are just as unqualified and dangerous as their students.
Measure 4 – Quality Control of Vehicles in Circulation
Studies show that 17% of road accidents are due to the poor mechanical condition of vehicles. Around 80% of vehicles in Cameroon are second- or third-hand imports, often banned from roads in Europe, America, or Asia. Cameroon has become a dumping ground for obsolete vehicles. Efforts must be made to create assembly plants in Cameroon, if not full car factories. This would allow citizens to buy new, quality vehicles at affordable prices, reducing reliance on deadly second-hand imports. Meanwhile, measures must be taken to ban the import of very old or unusable vehicles. The same applies to used spare parts, which are common and equally dangerous. There must be rigorous quality control of all spare parts sold in Cameroon.
Measure 5 – Regulating the Installation and Activity of Vehicle Repair Garages
Currently in Cameroon, anyone can set up a car repair business by the roadside without any formal training. These self-proclaimed mechanics often endanger lives with their improvisations, as many accidents are caused by mechanical failures. The State must take full responsibility here. Auto repair is as delicate and critical as medicine; poor repairs can cost lives. No garage should be allowed to operate without official certification. Authorities must ensure that garage owners are trained in automotive engineering and have the proper tools to fix vehicles. Garages should be categorized by skill level, and clients should be informed of the appropriate garage to visit based on the complexity of their problem.