Introduction
Burkina Faso faces a persistent challenge: making its roads safer. Although statistics from 2025 show slight stabilization, the severity of road accidents remains concerning. To address this, the government approved the new National Road Safety Strategy (SNSR) 2026–2030 at the end of 2025.
A Concerning but Mixed Situation
Between 2024 and 2025, the country recorded 22,702 road accidents in 2024 and 17,335 in 2025, representing a 23.6% decrease, meaning 5,367 accidents were avoided. There were 15,615 injuries in 2024 compared to 14,611 injuries in 2025, indicating 1,004 fewer victims. The country has also seen a decline in fatalities, with 1,068 deaths in 2024 and 880 deaths in 2025, meaning 188 lives were saved, representing a 17.6% reduction.
Major Causes of Road Insecurity
Human factors remain the primary cause of accidents, including failure to respect traffic rules, speeding, and not wearing helmets. In addition, driving under the influence of alcohol and using mobile phones while driving increase the risk of accidents. The poor condition of some roads, such as potholes, and the lack of urban lighting further increase risks, particularly at night.
The Technological Offensive of 2026
To address these challenges, the National Road Safety Office (ONASER) and government authorities are combining efforts to modernize road safety through video enforcement systems, involving the gradual deployment of surveillance cameras capable of automatically detecting traffic violations and issuing electronic fines. The increased use of speed radars is another notable development, while the experimental use of drones for accident reporting aims to improve accuracy and response time. The 2030 objective of the new national strategy is to reduce road accident deaths by 50% by 2030, lowering the mortality rate from 4.3 to 2 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants.
Conclusion
At the beginning of 2026, ONASER launched calls for projects to support local associations. The goal is to move from a form of road safety based mainly on punishment and enforcement to a shared road safety culture, particularly through night awareness campaigns and by integrating road safety education into school curricula for young people. Roads themselves do not kill; it is human behaviour that does. Wearing helmets and respecting traffic lights save lives every day in Burkina Faso.
Social Media: https://www.fb.com/I/6Ip1KJRRR
