Evaluating The Role of Safe System Approach Adoption in Road Traffic Fatality Reduction in Sub-Saharan Africa

Road traffic fatalities remain a persistent and disproportionate burden in Sub-Saharan Africa despite the region’s relatively low motorisation rate. This study evaluates the role of the Safe System Approach (SSA) in mitigating road traffic fatalities and severe injuries across the region: Road traffic safety management in Nigeria, South Africa, Ethiopia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo were critically examined.The SSA centred on principles of shared responsibility, human vulnerability, and systemic resilience has shown considerable success in high-income settings. However, implementation in Sub-Saharan Africa faces substantial hurdles, including institutional fragmentation, limited resources, infrastructural deficits, behavioural challenges, and data limitations. Using qualitative content analysis and trend data from WHO, FRSC, and RTMC, this study assesses both global contributions of SSA and its regional adoption challenges. The findings reveal that while SSA aligned strategies have been introduced in varying degrees, their impact remains constrained by governance, enforcement inconsistencies, and conceptual ambiguity among stakeholders. The study underscores the need for greater policy coherence, funding mechanisms, and cultural shift to support systemic road safety reforms. If effectively contextualised and resourced, the Safe System Approach holds significant promise for reversing the upward trajectory of road fatalities across the region.