MODULE 1

GLOBAL ROAD
SAFETY
EBRD Road Safety Engineering
E-learning Package
ROAD CASUALTIES ARE A
GLOBAL PROBLEM

For Public For Economic For Social

Health Development Development
PUBLIC HEALTH:
EACH YEAR 1.35 MILLION
PEOPLE DIE ON THE
WORLD’S ROADS
World Health Organisation,
Global Status Report on
Road Safety 2018
SOME 50 MILLION PEOPLE
ARE INJURED IN ROAD
CRASHES ANNUALLY
By 2030 it is predicted that road crashes will be the 7th
leading cause of Disability Adjusted Life Years (DALY) lost
ROAD CRASHES ARE THE
10 LEADING CAUSE OF
TH

DEATH WORLDWIDE
Responsible for more annual fatalities than HIV
or malaria
FATALITY RATES ARE 3X
HIGHER IN LOW AND
MIDDLE INCOME
COUNTRIES
Over 90% of fatalities are in LMICs, though they have
just around 50% of the world’s vehicles
IN EVERY WORLD REGION,
ROAD CRASHES ARE THE
NO.1 CAUSE OF DEATH FOR
YOUNG PEOPLE*
*Aged 5 to 29 years old
 ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT: ROAD
CASUALTIES COST 3-5%
Irishnews.com
OF GDP
• Emergency services costs • Loss of breadwinner
• Healthcare costs • Loss of main carer
• Social support costs • Loss of skilled professionals
• Lost taxes • Loss of future expertise
• Days lost to work
• Damage & repairs
ECONOMIC
OPPORTUNITY COSTS
Countries that do not invest in road safety could miss out
on between 7-22% in potential per capita GDP growth
over a 24 year period.

‘The High Toll of Traffic Injuries: Unacceptable and

Preventable,’ The World Bank, 2018
SOCIAL COSTS:
VULNERABLE ROAD
USERS
More than half of global road deaths are amongst pedestrians,
cyclists, and riders of motorized two-wheelers and their passengers
- collectively known as "vulnerable road users."

The proportion of road traffic deaths of vulnerable road users is

greater in low-income countries than in high-income countries.
ROAD USERS ARE
‘VULNERABLE’ BECAUSE :
• They have less protection in traffic – for example motorcyclists,
cyclists, pedestrians, light agricultural vehicles
• They are less capable in traffic – for example, children, elderly
people
Vulnerable road users do not have a ‘shell’ to protect them in a
collision with a vehicle, and there are differences in speed and
mass. Road engineering is particularly important for them.
 UN SUSTAINABLE
New Sustainable DEVELOPMENT GOALS
Development Goals
(SDGs) were adopted SDG target 3.6: to halve the number of global deaths and
by the UN in injuries from road traffic accidents.

September 2015.

Three of them relate SDG target 9.1: develop quality, reliable, sustainable and
resilient infrastructure, including regional and transborder
specifically to road infrastructure, to support economic development and
safety human well-being, with a focus on affordable and
equitable access for all.

SDG target 11.2: by 2030, provide access to safe, affordable,

accessible and sustainable transport systems for all, improving
road safety, notably by expanding public transport, with special
attention to the needs of those in vulnerable situations, women,
children, persons with disabilities and older persons.
TWO SUB-TARGETS ON
ROAD INFRASTRUCTURE
By 2030: All new roads By 2030: More than
achieve technical 75% of travel on existing
standards for all road roads on roads that
users that take into meet technical
account road safety, or standards for all road
meet a 3-star rating or users that take into
better account road safety
3 RD GLOBAL MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE
ON ROAD SAFETY, STOCKHOLM

The SDGs were reaffirmed, calling on governments to:

• Ensure minimum road safety standards for

all road users in all road infrastructure
improvements and investments;
• Focus on speed management, mandating a
maximum road travel speed of 30km/h in
areas where vulnerable road users and
vehicles mix
GLOBAL ACTION:
A NEW RESOLUTION CALLING ON
GOVERNMENTS TO ACT ON ROAD
SAFETY WAS AGREED AT THE UNITED
NATIONS ON 31 AUGUST, 2020
Member states committed to implement road safety
activities in order to reduce the predicted growth in road
casualties by 50% by 2030. Actions should focus in
particular on the needs of pedestrians, cyclists and other
vulnerable road users.
THE GLOBAL ROAD SAFETY PLAN
INCLUDES ‘5 PILLARS’ FOR ACTION –
AMONG THEM SAFER ROADS
Safe System

Road Improved
Safer Safer Safer
safety Post-
Roads Vehicles Road
manage- Crash
Users
ment Care
THE GLOBAL ROAD SAFETY PLAN
INCLUDES ‘5 PILLARS’ FOR ACTION –
AMONG THEM SAFER ROADS
Safe System

Road Improved
Safer Safer Safer
safety Post- Speed
Roads Vehicles Road
manage- Crash
Users
ment Care
ACTION: SAFER ROADS
The UN Resolution calls for “efforts to ensure
the safety and protection of all road users
through safer road infrastructure by taking
into account the needs of motorized and non-
motorized transport, and other vulnerable
road users, especially on the highest-risk
roads…”
UN A/RES/74/299
 GLOBALLY, VEHICLE
GROWTH IS NOT UNIFORM
In some
countries, rapid
vehicle growth
will pose
challenges for
road safety
ROAD CASUALTIES ARE
PREVENTABLE
Many countries have seen growing motorisation, but have acted to
reduce the number of road casualties

38

12.5
IN THE NEXT MODULE:
A SYSTEMATIC
APPROACH TO ROAD
SAFETY
SUMMARY: GLOBAL ROAD
SAFETY
• Road casualties are a global problem for Health; Economic
Development; and Social Development
• They are the biggest killer of young people in every world region
and a major cause of disability
• Fatality rates are 3x higher in low- and middle-income countries
• ‘Vulnerable Road Users’ include cyclists, pedestrians, elderly
people, people with disabilities, motorcyclists and others
• Safer Roads are a key pillar of the Global Road Safety Action Plan
• Road casualties are preventable.
MODULE 1

GLOBAL ROAD
SAFETY
EBRD Road Safety Engineering
E-learning Package