In Senegal, strong measures announced after the tragic accident in Kaffrine

With an official death toll of 39 and 101 injured, including serious cases, the collision between two buses around 3 a.m. (local time), Sunday January 8 near the village of Sikilo, in the region of Kaffrine (in the center west of Senegal), is the deadliest accident of recent years in Senegal. Very busy axis, the national road number 1 is located on the Dakar-Bamako corridor. “Deeply saddened by this tragic road accident”, the President of the Republic Macky Sall decreed three days of national mourning from Monday. On the same day, Prime Minister Amadou Ba held an emergency inter-ministerial council to adopt ” firm measures on road safety and public passenger transport”.

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“We cannot expose the lives of our compatriots in a transport system that ignores respect for human life”, said Macky Sall. Meeting on Monday evening, transport sector stakeholders approved 23 urgent measures to improve road safety.

Among them, the creation ofa structure responsible for applying the Highway Code, the ban on the circulation of public passenger transport vehicles on interurban roads between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m., the limitation of the duration of operation to ten years for passenger vehicles passenger transport and fifteen years for goods vehicles, the ban on the import of used tires, free technical inspection in Dakar for transport and goods vehicles, and the opening of technical inspection centers in the regions. Currently, there is only one modern technical control center, located in Dakar, for the whole country. “We are now awaiting the ministerial decree for the application. Some points require a delay, but other measures can be put in place immediately,” says Gora Khouma, secretary general of the Union of Road Carriers.

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According to the World Health Organization (WHO), nearly 27,000 people are victims of road accidents each year in Senegal, including 11,000 in Dakar. Between 2015 and 2019, road accidents caused an average of 644 deaths each year according to the NGO Partners West Africa. These accidents are 90% due to the behavior of the drivers: speed, negligence, recklessness and non-compliance with the Highway Code are the first factors pointed out. The lack of training of public transport drivers, false permits, the random application of the penalties provided for by the Highway Code as well as the laxity of technical controls are also in question.

Also strongly decried, the dilapidated state of the car fleet, which is very real. “All public transport is old. These are second-hand vehicles, often more than thirty years old, sometimes downgraded because they no longer meet the standards in their country of origin. And despite their degraded state, they remain in circulation for years,” explains Modou Kane Diao, Secretary General of the Land Transport Development Fund (FDTT).

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According to the first elements of the investigation into the Kaffrine accident, the bursting of a tire would be at the origin of the tragedy. This is indeed one of the recurrent causes of road accidents in Senegal. The majority of so-called new tires are in fact not approved: most often imported from Europe, they are more or less worn and their conditions of use are not respected. In addition to their wear and tear, they are subject to excessive overweight. Buses often carry more passengers than allowed while added luggage racks are overloaded. The state of the roads, in particular the lack of signage and lighting, is also a factor, even if, “In recent years, there has been a major modernization of road infrastructure”, supports Babacar Gaye, general administrator of the FDTT.

“Clean up the sector”

The drama of Kaffrine caused a strong emotion within the population, but also a feeling of anger. Several voices were raised to denounce the promises made but never implemented and the legislative proposals never adopted. After the Kébémer accident in 2017 (25 dead), the Minister of Infrastructure, Land Transport and Opening Up announced the introduction of the points license. The measure is still not effective in the country. “The government does not apply the agreements that have been signed. But, with the accident of Kaffrine, it is obliged to answer the national request. We must clean up the sector and regulate it, it is our responsibility! Human life is priceless, the State must provide the necessary means”, supports Mr. Khouma.

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Despite the substantial delays, a national road safety plan (PNSR), integrated into the Emerging Senegal Plan (PSE), was adopted for the period 2021-2030 with the objective of reducing the number of deaths and serious injuries by 50%. in road accidents. In November 2021, the country finally set up a National Road Safety Agency (ANASER). But the structure, very recent, has few means to carry out its missions. Its reinforcement is also part of the measures adopted during the interministerial council of January 9.

Finally, until now the means were lacking to ensure the renewal of the vehicle fleet. The creation of the FDTT, in July 2020, aims to accelerate this dynamic with the impoundment of more than 45,000 dilapidated vehicles by 2028. The cost of this renewal, borne by the State, is estimated at 1,200 billion CFA francs (more than 1 billion euros).

source site-29