Animal Reflector Tags Set to Be Introduced to Improve Road Safety
By TUW
A new road-safety solution is about to be introduced in Namibia, targeting one of the country’s most persistent hazards: livestock wandering onto roads during the night. The Ministry of Works and Transport said that reflective tags will soon be attached to free-roaming domestic animals in communal areas in an effort to reduce nighttime accidents cause by animals.
According to Works and Transport Minister Veikko Nekundi, the reflectors will be placed on cattle, donkeys, horses, and goats, to make them more visible to drivers at night. The minister said the project aims to reduce the number of fatal and costly crashes linked to roaming animals, a problem that has increased along busy rural routes.
In the first rollout, the devices will be issued at no cost, with each region receiving a starting batch for community distribution. The ministry will closely monitor how well the reflectors perform before expanding the initiative to larger areas.
Nekundi noted that the reflectors are only one part of improving safety, adding that careful and attentive driving remains essential. The ministry hopes the new programme will not only protect drivers, but also safeguard the livelihoods of farmers who often lose valuable animals to road accidents.
Officials say the initiative could become one of Namibia’s most practical tools for reducing animal-related crashes, especially if communities embrace the new safety measure.
