THE URGENT NEED FOR SOCIAL PROTECTION FOR VULNERABLE ROAD USERS IN LIBERIA

In the bustling city of Monrovia, the roads crowded with life and activities, yet the roads present often times indescribable tragedies that echo through the lives of daily road users and their families. Road accidents, often overlooked amidst their daily occurrences, leave behind a trace of devastation that rips through the very fabric of our society. As the dust settles and the sirens fade, families are left grappling with the harsh reality of loss, both emotional and financial.

And for many of these families, the struggle to make ends meet, especially if the victim was the bread winner of the family becomes an everyday reality. This begins a ripple of consequences staring with the daily challenge of putting food on the table overshadowing their existence and sometimes ripping apart a stable family, leading often teen male children into drugs abuse and many teen girl children into prostitution or sexual abuse. And the foregone conclusion is typical a society where strong family structures are not always prevalent. The impact of a road accident resonates far beyond the individual directly involved. It leaves pain and trauma which intensify the suffering of families already on the edge.

One might question, why in the face of such adversity, there exist no social protection for those most vulnerable on the roads. As a social worker working daily with road accident victims, it is evident that the establishing a robust social protection system for families that have lost their breadwinner, guidance and loved ones to road accidents and children left unsupervised due to these tragedies is crucial. Here are the key issues and potential solutions:

1. Many vehicles on the streets lack proper insurance coverage. When accidents occur, the absence of insurance or adequate insurance means that victims are often left without financial support to cover medical expenses and other damages. Drivers who are responsible for the accidents often cannot afford to compensate the victims, leaving families in financial distress.
2. At the Ministry of Social Protection, we need to strategize and establish a social protection framework that addresses these issues independently, ensuring that accident victims receive the support they need.
3. Given the current lack of social protection in our country, it is essential to identify and implement programs specifically designed to support road accident victims. At Road Safety Action International (RSAI), we have developed several initiatives, including the Financial Support Program (FSP). This program aims to provide financial assistance to families who have lost their breadwinner, helping them achieve financial stability. This support can come in the form of small business loans offered by banks, microfinance institutions, or organizations like BRAC. These loans can help families start or sustain small businesses, providing them with a steady income and a path to recovery.
4. 4. Furthermore, we have a structured penalty/liability system that holds those responsible for accidents accountable. This system would operate through the legal framework, ensuring that once a party is found guilty, they are obliged to pay long-term liabilities. These would cover not only the medical costs but also the broader consequences such as trauma, poverty, and financial losses experienced by the victims.

At RSAI these are the intricacies of the victim’s assistance that we are looking into and we believe that these initial strategies like the insurance scheme, the liability scheme and the Financial Support Program (FSP) stands out to be the immediate approaches to solving these problems. Subsequently, while we are optimistic that a comprehensive national initiative will eventually address all these issues, these strategies represent our current approach to providing essential support and protection to those affected by road accidents.

Most importantly, we must recognize the human cost of road accidents and the profound impact they have on families. Behind every statistic lies a story of loss, grief, and untold suffering. It is incumbent upon us, as a society, to stand in solidarity with those affected and champion their right to social protection and support.

In Liberia, as in any society, the true measure of our progress lies not in our economic growth or technological advancements, but in our ability to extend a helping hand to those in need. Let us not wait for tragedy to strike before we act, but rather, let us proactively work towards building a more compassionate and resilient society where all individuals, especially vulnerable road users, are afforded the protection and support they deserve.