The story of Salote Hannah Daucakacaka is so sad. It is about the final act of a nine-year-old girl walking to a nearby shop to buy food for her family’s Saturday lunch.
The Year 4 student of Korovuto Primary School left her home along Bulubulu Rd, never to return. That was the last time her mother saw her alive.
Hannah, as she was affectionately known, died on the Queens Highway on Saturday morning after being struck by a vehicle driven by a 43-year-old woman.
Her mother, Mrs Samo, said she realised something was wrong when her daughter took longer than expected to return.
She went out to the roadside to look for her and noticed a line of vehicles stretching along the highway. Emergency responders were already there. In that moment, she knew it involved her daughter. Overcome with grief, she broke down.
Hannah’s stepfather, Rusiate Samo, described her as a confident and lively child, someone who was well known in church, at school, and within their neighbourhood.
Police have confirmed that a post-mortem examination will be conducted this week as investigations continue.
The national road death toll now stands at 11, compared with seven for the same period last year.
Let’s face it. This is a heartbreaking story. It tugs at the heartstrings and leaves a family grieving the loss of a young life taken too soon. Hannah had her whole future ahead of her. Reflecting on the circumstances is painful and frustrating. Life hangs by a thread. It is fragile! We talk about road safety every year. We have slogans and campaigns. Yet people are still dying on our roads!
There are sensitivities that must be respected, and lessons that will inevitably pop up in hindsight. That is often how life unfolds. But awareness and responsibility must remain at the forefront.
To drivers, we say, be vigilant. Be aware of your surroundings at all times. Slow down when approaching residential areas or when children are visible near the roadside. A moving vehicle carries immense risk, and we can’t underestimate that reality. Too often, accidents are the result of complacency and inattention.
If you don’t have genuine appreciation for the responsibility that comes with driving, or if you don’t have common sense, then the safest decision is not to get behind the wheel. Every road user has a right to feel safe.
But responsibility does not rest only with drivers.
Pedestrians must also remain alert and mindful of traffic conditions. We say road safety is a shared duty. Following basic safety practices, being attentive, and exercising caution, especially along busy highways, can make a critical difference.
For parents and guardians, the responsibility is even greater. Difficult choices must sometimes be simplified into one guiding principle. Consider safety first. Minimising risk, especially for children, must always take priority.
Ultimately, our roads are shared spaces. Whether we are drivers, passengers, or pedestrians, we all have a role in ensuring they are used safely and responsibly.
Every person has the right to use our roads without fear. Protecting that right begins with each of us.
