PRISTINA – Following the event in Tirana, the Transport Community Permanent Secretariat, in partnership with Slovenian authorities, organised the second promotional event of Safer to School guidelines in Pristina, highlighting the importance of implementing the guidelines to enhance road safety around educational institutions.
Safer to School guidelines offer ready-to-implement measures aimed at increasing road safety for children around schools. Originating from the Slovenian Infrastructure Agency and currently being successfully implemented in Slovenia, these guidelines serve as an inspiration for enhancing road safety in the Western Balkans.
Transport Community’s Permanent Secretariat Director, Mr Matej Zakonjšek, recalled that implementing comprehensive measures and guidelines to enhance the safety in school zones requires joint efforts of all relevant stakeholders.
“Safe roads pave the way for brighter futures. Let’s drive change in the Western Balkans, ensuring every journey, especially through school zones, is a step towards safety and wealth,” he pointed out.
“A proper adjustment of road infrastructure for pedestrians can prevent accidents and save human lives. To ensure safe sidewalks and road crossings is especially important for the safety of children,” Ambassador of Slovenia, H.E. Ms Minca Benedejčič, pointed out.
The Western Balkans, with an average of 73 fatalities in road crashes per million inhabitants in 2023, starkly contrasts the EU average of 46 fatalities per million inhabitants. This statistic underscores the urgent need for concerted efforts to bridge this gap and save lives on the region’s roads.
Across the region, the number of fatalities and seriously injured children in road traffic crashes is worrisome, showing the risks faced by the youngest and most vulnerable road users.
These numbers underscore the pressing need for action to prevent further tragedies and ensure the safety of our children on the roads, including on their journey to and from school.
The Transport Community, in collaboration with Slovenian authorities, stands ready to support Western Balkan authorities in implementing the Safer to School guidelines. By adapting best practices from the EU to local needs, we aim to significantly improve traffic safety around educational institutions, thereby safeguarding the lives of children in school zones.
The Transport Community is also committed to partnering with various authorities and civil society to enhance transport across the Western Balkans. By implementing EU standards and best practices, we strive to create safer roads and a brighter future for all.
The Pristina event gathered representatives of Kosovan Ministry of Environment, Spatial Planning and Infrastructure, Ministry of Internal Affairs, Ministry of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation, City of Pristina, European Union Office in Kosovo, Slovenian Embassy, Transport Community, and other stakeholders.
BACKGROUND
The Transport Community is an international organisation in the field of mobility and transport. It has 36 participants – the European Union member states represented by the European Commission, the Western Balkans six, and the three observing participants (Georgia, Republic of Moldova and Ukraine). We are working on integrating Western Balkans’ transport markets into the EU by assisting the six Western Balkans partners in adopting and implementing the EU legislation in the transport field and supporting projects connecting Western Balkans regional partners among themselves and with the EU.
Focusing on improving transport across the region, the Transport Community also focuses on the road safety. With its Action Plan for Road Safety, the Transport Community aims to create a safer road environment that protects all road users and significantly reduces the number of road traffic injuries and fatalities across the region. Access the Action Plan here.
Furthermore, with its Western Balkans Road Safety Observatory (WBRSO), Transport Community has set in place a platform aiming to offer a tailored solution, monitor road safety targets, and contribute to improvement and harmonised road safety data in the region. Access the WBRSO here.
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* This designation is without prejudice to positions on status, and is in line with UNSCR 1244/1999 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo declaration of independence
