The Importance of Infrastructure and Road Safety Culture for Pedestrian Safety: A Comparison of Three European and Three African Countries

Walking is a primary mode of transport in urban Africa, yet it remains unsafe, challenging, and unpleasant. In contrast, several European countries have implemented systematic policies to promote walking through Safe System principles. This study compares pedestrian safety in three African countries (Tanzania, Ghana, Zambia), with three European countries with excellence in road safety and Safe System implementation (Norway, the Netherlands, Sweden). Data includes focus group interviews with African road users and stakeholders (n = 48), fieldwork, and surveys of pedestrians in the African (n = 753) and the European countries (n = 1109). The aims are to examine: (1) pedestrians’ perceptions of infrastructure, traffic situation, and traffic safety culture, (2) pedestrians’ accident involvement and (3) factors influencing pedestrians’ accident involvement. Our results show that pedestrian safety in the studied African countries is not only related to material factors (e.g. safe system infrastructure); it is also related to cultural factors (e.g. societal status of pedestrians, traffic safety culture). We discuss how policy strategies should address both types of factors. Our results indicate that Safe System implementation in the studied African countries is likely to improve pedestrian safety. However, working with infrastructure is not sufficient; cultural factors, including the sociocultural position of pedestrians, must also be addressed. We also discuss how infrastructure, traffic situation and traffic safety culture are related to larger framework conditions, like urban planning, public transport systems, and economy.