New pedestrian crossing installed in CMC Adebabye intersection in Addis Ababa. © Save the Nation
In Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Save the Nation has used their large social media following on TikTok to create community demand from the government for safer roads. This has led to quick progress in improving pedestrian safety at the CMC Adebabye intersection, a high-risk zone for pedestrians. The intersection now has a pedestrian crossing and speed bumps to slow down traffic. By combining evidence from the Mobility Snapshots, advocacy, and social media campaigns to build community demand for change, Save the Nation has demonstrated the possibility of achieving quick, meaningful changes to advance safe mobility.
The intersection, which is used by 628 pedestrians and 60 cyclists during peak hours, lacked pedestrian crossings and traffic calming measures. There was continuous high-speed vehicle flow, with cars often exceeding the 50 km/h limit. A train line running through the intersection added further danger, forcing pedestrians to navigate both vehicle and train traffic without adequate safety infrastructure.
“I use this intersection regularly, and even before the Mobility Snapshot campaign, we were considering ways to improve its safety. It was a very difficult place for people to cross the road safely, with frequent crashes and pedestrians being hit by cars,” says Mesganaw Bimrew, Save the Nation, Ethiopia.
In response to their findings, Save the Nation launched an advocacy campaign to push for immediate improvements. Leveraging their strong social media following, it conducted a campaign where it filmed pedestrians dangerously crossing the intersection and posted on their social media platforms, including Tik Tok. “The post on Tik Tok where we have more than 145,000 subscribers went viral, bringing public attention to the intersection’s dangers. We also held meetings with government officials to advocate for changes at the intersection,” says Mesganaw.
The viral post led to community demand for government officials to act. This contributed to prompting swift action from the Addis Ababa Traffic Management Authority. Within two weeks of the campaign’s peak, the authorities implemented several critical safety measures, transforming the intersection. These improvements included installation of pedestrian crossing, allowing people to navigate the intersection with a clear right-of-way, and installation of speed bumps to reduce vehicle speeds, ensuring a safer environment for pedestrians.
These changes have already had a positive impact, with pedestrians reporting a greater sense of safety when using the intersection. “From our observations, conflicts between drivers and pedestrians have reduced since the improvements. The Mobility Snapshot provided us with the tools and resources needed to advocate effectively and achieve change at this intersection so quickly,” says Mesganaw.
Building on this success, Save the Nation is scheduled to meet with the Addis Ababa Traffic Management Authority directorate for a roundtable discussion. The aim of this meeting is to secure further commitments for improving other unsafe intersections across the city. Additionally, it plans to discuss the alignment of their local road safety initiatives with global priorities such as meeting the targets of the Global Plan for the Decade of Action for Road Safety 2021–2030. Save the Nation is also using this opportunity to push for their government’s participation at the upcoming 4th Global Ministerial Conference on Road Safety in Marrakech where it will be advocating for further commitment to improve road safety in Ethiopia.
The success in Ethiopia shows how the Mobility Snapshots support data-driven advocacy that drives community demand and action for road safety improvements. By clearly identifying safety risks, the snapshots provide persuasive data that not only prompt swift government response but also mobilize community voices, amplified through social media. Authorities, wary of social media backlash, are compelled to act quickly, demonstrating the influence of public accountability. This aligns with findings from The Day Our World Crumbled: the Human Impact of Inaction on Road Safety, emphasizing the importance of making road safety an electoral issue. Such efforts are crucial for achieving the Global Plan targets and ensuring safer mobility for all.
Save the Nation’s Mobility Snapshot advocacy was supported through a small grant from TotalEnergies Foundation.
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