Assessment and countermeasures selection for safer roads to schools in the city of Yaoundé: progressive evaluation using surveys and iRAP methodology

About 500 children die daily in road crashes that occur while the children are going to school or engaging in other activities. This paper outlines a two-phase study to enhance pedestrian children’s safety. Phase one included crash data analysis, iRAP assessment of risky road section, and school evaluations. Phase two involved a behavioural school journey survey of 1,100 students and star ratings assessments of 14 schools. The findings indicated that a notable portion of crashes occur during school commuting hours and pedestrians are involved in one out of every ten crashes. Moreover, 59% of students reported feeling safe on their way to school, and 17% demonstrated a high level of road safety knowledge. The iRAP assessment demonstrated that current road conditions were rated at 1 and 2 stars for pedestrians. However, implementing effective countermeasures, such as 30km/h speed limits, enhanced delineation, and road surface treatments, could improve ratings to 4 and 5 stars for pedestrians, leading to an 88% reduction in fatalities and serious injuries. Furthermore, star ratings for school assessments revealed over a two-year period that most school entrances remained unsafe, with ratings of 1 and 2 stars, indicating a lack of road improvements. This study underscores the need for multidisciplinary approaches, including engineering, community engagement, law enforcement, and behaviour changes, to enhance road safety in communities.