A road safety project was launched to counter Samoa’s road fatality rate of 10 deaths per 100,000 people, with pedestrians making up 63 per cent.

World Health Organization (WHO) has estimated Samoa’s road fatality rate is higher than New Zealand’s.

In response to these alarming statistics, the Samoa Red Cross Society (SRCS) in partnership with the Global Road Safety Partnership (GRSP) and the Italian Red Cross launched the Safe to School, Safe to Home Programme.

The initiative aims to educate and engage young people across Samoa to ensure safer daily commutes.

The project kickoff workshop was held in November 2024 bringing together volunteers, SRCS managers, and representatives from the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Police, and the Land Transport Authority (LTA).

Participants shared insights and discussed strategies to improve road safety and emphasising collaboration at all levels of government and community.

Secretary General of the Samoa Red Cross Society, Namulauulu Tautala Mauala highlighted the urgency of this promgramme.

“We have a duty to protect the youth living in our communities, and with road safety being the biggest killer of all people aged five to 29 years globally, we saw this as a great opportunity to make them safer on their daily journey to and from school,” she said.

The programme is part of a broader regional road safety effort funded by the Italian Red Cross which is also being implemented in Pakistan and Malaysia.

The SRCS and GRSP hope to roll out The Safe Home initiative by early 2025, to reduce road-related fatalities and promote a safer environment for Samoa’s youth.

This initiative underscores the critical importance of road safety education and the need for continued collaboration between national ministries, authorities, and community partners to protect lives on the road.