1It is believed that road accidents could become the fifth leading cause of death in Africa by 2030. Yet data collected on accidents is scarce and unreliable, which impedes the development of prevention actions. This is why a team of researchers in Ouagadougou tested an accident surveillance system involving national police units, resulting in the mapping of accident “black spots”.

Young girl on a moped, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.

2This map shows that accidents often take place in densely populated districts and on city bypass and exit roads. 86% of those injured are two-wheeled vehicle drivers, primarily young men from working-class suburbs. This finding emphasised the inadequacy of road infrastructures in light of the growing number of two-wheeled vehicles, as well as the lack of public transportation, which forces young workers to travel long distances on motorcycles. Pedestrians, who account for 6% of injuries, are also road traffic victims. This fragility is exacerbated by difficulties in accessing healthcare, which were also measured by researchers as part of the monitoring of road crash victims in the Ouagadougou emergency department. Healthcare costs are very high and this prevents those injured from getting appropriate care.

Traffic in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.

3Following the presentation of these results, more police forces were deployed at “accident black spots”. In terms of improvement, old and narrow roads must be adapted to accommodate the growing use of two-wheeled vehicles. Last but not least, specific information on injuries is being used to raise the population’s awareness of road hazards.

4This data forms an essential part of the prevention of accidents and the improvement of road safety in Burkina Faso, as well as in other parts of Africa. Benin is currently testing the same system, with GPS tracking of accidents in Cotonou. The next step will be to study sub-regional roads between the main capitals of West Africa.