Strengthening the national road safety management capacities of selected developing countries and countries with economies in transition

Road safety is an important sustainable development goal, yet relatively underappreciated and greatly underfunded. According to the WHO 2013 Global Status Report on Road Safety, about 1.24 million road traffic deaths occur annually on the world’s roads, with little change observed since 2007. Approximately 90% of all road crashes now happen in low- and middle-income countries. Road crashes cost an estimated 1% to 5% of GDP in developing countries, undermining efforts to reduce poverty and achieve sustainable development. More than half of global deaths are among pedestrians and operators of motorized twowheeled vehicles and rates are even higher in the world’s poorest regions. Results of the efficient road safety management, whether expressed in terms of reductions in deaths or injuries, taking the special care on vulnerable road users (e.g. children, pedestrians) or problematic areas (e.g. speed, driving under influence, helmet wearing) are important to demonstrate the country’s ability to cope with road safety problems and improve road safety situation. Limited capacities, financial and human resources, weak statistical capabilities and other pressing economic or social problems led to the fact that only a few low- and middle-income countries started the setting of efficient road safety management systems. The project activities will be implemented in four low- or middle-income countries: Albania, Georgia, the Dominican Republic and Viet Nam. They have highest mortality and motorisation growth rates in their respective regions and require international assistance to improve national road safety situation and develop road safety management systems. The proposed project aims to assist countries to enhance national road safety management system capacities. It will help Governments to identify most critical road safety aspects and priority needs by preparing the Road Safety Performance Reviews. On the basis of priority needs identified in the Reviews, capacity building seminars and workshops with examples of good road safety practices will be prepared. Furthermore, project aims to help countries to raise public awareness on road safety issues and sensitize public and non-governmental sector on the need to set ambitious road safety targets and adopt specific measures to meet them.