Evaluation of the effectiveness of a road safety education program implemented in primary schools in Bouaké, Côte d’Ivoire, West Africa

OBJECTIVE: Road traffic injuries are a leading cause of death among children in Africa, especially in urban areas with inadequate infrastructure. Despite this, few scientifically taught educational initiatives to address this issue at the school level have been implemented in West Africa. METHODS: This quasi-experimental study evaluated a road safety education program conducted in 11 primary schools in Bouaké, Côte d'Ivoire. The initiative targeted 509 students in Grade 4 (CM1) and was implemented in three formats: (1) printed textbooks, (2) animated videos, and (3) a combined textbook and video approach. Data were collected before and after the intervention using a 59-item questionnaire measuring knowledge, behaviors, and self-efficacy related to road safety. A difference-in-differences analysis using generalized linear models targeting the program's effectiveness. RESULTS: During the 7 month study period, a decrease in the number of crashes involving students was observed near the intervention schools. The combined textbook and video group achieved the greatest improvement across most outcomes, including road sign knowledge (+200%) and safe crossing behaviors. The textbook-only group also generated significant gains. The video-only group had limited impact. No significant change was found in self-efficacy. CONCLUSION: A hybrid educational intervention using printed and audio-visual materials improved road safety knowledge and behaviors among primary school children in an urban African setting. These results support the integration of context-adapted, multimodal road safety programs into national education strategies.