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Small-scale hazards: The case of road traffic accidents225Box 9.6 The struggle for road transport safety in Nairobi, KenyaIn 2006, over 1900 people lost their lives in traffic accidents onKenyan roads. Only malaria and HIV/AIDS claimed more lives.Public transport in Nairobi and Kenya, more generally, relies primarilyupon matatus, or minibuses. In October 2003, Legal Notice No161 was issued to regulate this sector – a comprehensive noticeaimed at reducing the danger and insecurity faced by matatu users.This was to be achieved through more effective policing of speeding;encouraging greater professionalism and accountability tocustomers by drivers and conductors; and tighter restrictions onoperating routes.In order to achieve these important goals, specific actionswere proposed by the government, including:• fitting speed governors to limit speed to 80 kilometres perhour;• fitting seat belts on all vehicles (both public, commercial andprivate);• employing drivers and conductors on a permanent basis;Source: WHO, 2004b; Chitere and Kibual, 2006• issuing badges to drivers and conductors;• issuing uniforms to public service vehicle drivers andconductors;• indicating route details and painting yellow bands on allmatatus for the purposes of easy identification;• re-testing drivers after every two years;• asking every driver to prominently display their photograph.Breaches of any regulations were to be punishable by a fine.The success of this act in road safety terms is clear. Thenumber of traffic-related deaths in 2006 was lower than theWorld Health Organization (WHO) estimate of average annualmortality from traffic accidents in Kenya (3000 people). Accidentswere reduced by 73 per cent in the first six months of implementation,compared to the same time during the previous year.However, the act met a good amount of resistance from the matatulobby. Lack of political will has also threatened advances made inroad safety.Transportplanning…modelsitself on a vision ofthe city that isfirmly tied to themotor carpoor transport. Each of these three critical agendas forsustainable development in cities has common practicalsolutions. Some solutions are relatively inexpensive, such asseparating pedestrian walkways and bicycle lanes frommotorized transport. Others, such as the integrated planningof residential and employment space with good qualitypublic transport, require strategic planning. It is in mediumsizedcities undergoing rapid population growth wherestrategic planning that can be proactive may have the mostimpact with the least cost. 38■ Promoting public and non-motorizedtransportationTransport planning too often overlooks the needs of themajority of urban residents for whom non-motorized andpublic transport may be the norm. Instead, planning modelsitself on a vision of the city that is firmly tied to the motorcar.As a result, there is a lack of investment in technologicalsupport for pro-poor transport, as shown in the case of Delhi(see Box 9.7). In planning decisions, the needs of pedestriansand cyclists come second to those of motorizedtransport. 39 Low- and middle-income countries seeking topromote economic growth, trade and employment are particularlypreoccupied with investments in road infrastructure. 40Yet, road construction and increasing capacity toaccommodate cars may not necessarily reduce the negativeexternalities of motorization, such as traffic accidents andcongestion. For instance, after constructing at least 2 ringroads, over 100 flyovers and almost 200 overpasses, therush-hour average speed on Beijing’s trunk roads remainedat 13 to 19 kilometres per hour. 41 Indeed, increased trafficvolume resulting from road construction may result inadditional traffic congestion. 42 Private cars, in particular,require a great deal of space, both for their movement andparking, when compared with other modes, especially highlyspace-saving modes of public transport. 43For a large majority of the urban poor in developingcountries, public transportation and non-motorized transportare the only affordable means of travel. 44 However, the stateof public transportation systems in developing countries,often poorly constructed and maintained and heavilyburdened by excessive overloading, is itself a risk factorcontributing to the rising incidence of traffic accidents. 45 Forinstance, in India, buses account for 90 per cent of the transportin cities. 46 Yet, India’s public modes of transportationare described as being overcrowded, uncomfortable,undependable, slow, uncoordinated, inefficient and dangerous.Thus, improving the quality and functioning of publictransport can enhance road safety and thereby reduce trafficaccidents. Mass forms of transportation not only reducenegative externalities of greater motorization, but are able todeliver high-quality mass transportation at a cost that isaffordable to most municipalities, including those of lowincomecountries. One example is the bus rapid transitsystem, which is growing in popularity globally compared toother forms of mass transit (such as light and heavy rail),especially in Asia, South America and Europe. 47 Bus rapidtransit is particularly efficient as it offers greater networkcoverage, value for money, service capacity and relative flexibility.Widely acclaimed examples include the TranMileniobus rapid transit system in Bogotá (Colombia) and that ofCuritibá (Brazil).Improved public transportation may also enable thepoor to make choices that improve other aspects of theirsafety and security. Often, the urban poor have to toleratepoor housing conditions in environmentally or sociallyhazardous locations due to lack of reliable, affordable andaccessible transport. 48 The ‘choice’, if there is one, is betweensettlements that are hazard prone, but close to employmentand livelihood opportunities, and those that may be lesshazardous, but do not meet short-term economic needs.…improving thequality andfunctioning ofpublic transport canenhance road safety