By Bellah Zulu, ACNS

A not-for-profit, self-sustaining road safety organisation known as The Ministry of Safety has urged higher participation from the church and all its networks in the prevention of road traffic accidents in Africa.

In a report released on their website recently, the organisation said, “Christian churches and Muslim communities in Africa continue to grow and flourish...this huge and powerful human resource can be used for positive change.”

It added, “The African faith traditions are potentially a huge network for the distribution of both information and training that remains largely untapped.” The purpose of the report was to understand whether “these powerful communities can be harnessed effectively for the greater good of their societies”.

Commenting on the findings Bishop of Southern Malawi and Chairperson of the Anglican Consultative Council (ACC) the Rt Revd James Tengatenga said, “The Church as the moral voice of society in most of Africa should take this as a gospel imperative.”

"God-given prosperity and affluence should not be turned into the means of denying life and life in its fullness to others by reckless driving,” said the Bishop. “The gifts of God for the people of God should be used rightly and morally. The carelessness of pedestrians should not be condoned either, and responsibility is required on both sides.”

It is reported that about 300 thousand people are killed on Africa’s roads each year and over five million are injured. Various surveys on causes of death have shown that in developing countries road traffic accident deaths now surpass deaths from HIV/AIDS and other health-related problems.

“This is a preventable disease!” noted the report. “The cost is at least US$25 billion, money that could be better spent elsewhere. Christians are suffering as a result of this carnage, yet they have the means for change in their own hands.”

“If Pastors and Ministers add Road Safety education to their duty of care for the flock of God, the casualties can be reduced,” suggested the report. “Why don’t cars carry health warnings since they contribute to the annual cull of humanity resulting in an estimated 1.3 million deaths and over 50 million casualties?”

The organisation has bemoaned the lack of publicity on road death as being one of the leading causes of death. “The message on smoking as a danger to life is widely publicised but road death remains off the radar as a serious health issue.”

“Why do Motor Manufacturers produce projectiles that vastly exceed the speed limit in most countries and maim and kill? Is this a responsible act? They know that if they do not produce performance then people will not buy them (therefore) it’s supply and demand driven. They build potential killers and people love it to be so.”

“This is fatal attraction!” concluded the report. “One day, someone will sue a manufacturer for producing a killer [but] until then drivers will be active victims and pedestrians passive victims.”

ENDS

Notes to editors

• The Ministry of Safety provides is run by independent consultant Mike Winnett who provides road safety information, links, reports, sermons and news for ministers and churches in Africa http://ministryofsafety.wordpress.com