Global status report on road safety (GSRRS)

2. Global status report on road safety Dr Hala SakrWHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean

3. Global status report on road safety (GSRRS) - Released 15 June 2009 - A joint effort by WHO and international experts and specialists from across the world - Funded by Bloomberg Philanthropies

4. Behind the scenes • In the past five years most countries have endorsed the recommendations of the World report on road traffic injury prevention which give guidance on how countries can implement a comprehensive approach to improving road safety and reducing the death toll on their roads. • To date, however, there has been no global assessment of road safety that indicates the extent to which this approach is being implemented. • This why the Global status report on road safety came to life to provide a benchmark for countries to assess their road safety position relative to other countries, while internationally the data presented can collectively be considered as a global “baseline” against which progress over time can be measured.

5. Methodology

6. Methodology • Survey developed in consultation with an expert committee of road safety researchers & practitioners. • Data collection using a self-administered questionnaire, based on recommendations of the World report on road traffic injury prevention. • Methodology involved the identification of a National Data Coordinator in each country who facilitated a consensus meeting involving a multisectoral group of up to eight road safety experts. • Based on consensus, one final country questionnaire was submitted to WHO following government clearance. Final data were received from 178 participating countries and areas which account for over 98% of the world's population.

7. GSRRS 2009 Building on the World report on road traffic injury prevention, GSRRS is the first broad standardized assessment that provides comparable data on the road safety situation in 178 countries.

8. Road traffic injuries form a major public health issue GLOBALLY …Over 1.2 million people die each year on the world’s roads, and between 20 and 50 million suffer non-fatal injuries. Thus they are an important cause of disability.

9. Over 90% of deaths occur in LMIC which have only 48% of the world’s registered vehicles

10. Nearly half of those dying on the roads are vulnerable road users (pedestrians, cyclists and motorized two-wheelers and their passengers

11. One of the top three causes of death for people aged between 5 and 44 years

12. If current trends persist

13. Few (15%) countries have road safety laws relating to key risk factors and sufficiently comprehensive in scopeand enforcement is poor in many countries • Speed [29%]; • drink-driving; and • the non-use of protection measures (helmets [40%], seat-belts [57%] and child restraints [less than 50%]).

14. Only one third of countries have a national road safety strategy endorsed by the government, with specific targets and allocated funding allocated for implementation • Addressing road safety in a comprehensive manner necessitates the involvement of multiple sector such as health, transport and police. • A coordinated response includes development and implementation of a multisectoral strategy with sufficient finances for planned activities within a specified timeframe. • Many countries have taken positive steps to improve the institutional frameworks to support road safety, many challenges still remain.

15. Huge gaps remain in the quality and coverage of the data thatcountries collect and report onroad traffic injuries especially for non-fatal injuries Only 22% of countries had information on the the extent of their road traffic injury problem, the cost they incurred by their health sector or national authorities and the data needed to monitor and evaluate interventions accurately.

16. The economic cost is enormous • Global losses due to road traffic injuries are estimated at US$ 518 billion, costing governments 1-3% of their GNP. • This is more than what LMIC receive in development assistance.

17. The economic cost of road crashes Source: Jacobs G, Aeron-Thomas A, Astrop A. Estimating global road fatalities. Crowthorne, Transport Research Laboratory, 2000 (TRL Report 445).

18. In the Eastern Mediterranean Region • Road traffic injuries caused more than 130 000 deaths in 2002 • The vast majority of these deaths occurred in low- and middle-income countries of the Region • Road traffic injuries was the sixth cause of death in 2002

19. Deaths due to road traffic injuries by income and WHO region, 2002 Source: World Report on Road Traffic Injury Prevention-WHO Geneva 2004

20. But rates give us a more alarming picture… • In 2002, the death rate due to road traffic injuries was at 26.4 per 100 000 population, the second highest after the African Region. • GSRRS tells us that this rate has become 32.2 deaths per 100 000, equal to the African Region. Both topped other regions of the world.

22. Pedestrian fatalities in different Regions Source: Vasconcellos E A 2006: Equity, social ifferentiation, transport policy and road design. Paper presented in 8th World Conference on Injury Prevention and Safety Promotion April 2006 Durban South Africa

23. The poorer are more at riskThis is an equity issue - The poorer are more vulnerable and have less influence on policies - The poorer are more exposed to risks and even when aware of these risks, do not have much choice - The poorer are less likely to receive the needed emergency medical care - The poorer cannot afford the cost of long term medical care and the loss of a bread-earner due to death or disability

24. Based on the growing body of evidence on the steps necessary to improve road safety, GSRRS suggests a set of key recommendations

25. Governments need to take into consideration the needs of all road users when making policy decisions that impact on road safety… particularly when decisions are made about road infrastructure, land-use planning and transport services.

26. Governments need to enact comprehensive laws that require all road users to be protected through enforcement of speed limits that are appropriate to the type and function of the road, through the stipulation of blood alcohol concentration limits to reduce drink-driving, and through the use of appropriate occupant protection measures.

27. Speed For every 1 Km/hour increase in speed there is a 3% increase in the risk of involvement in a crash and 5% increase in risk of a fatal crash

28. Seat belt Using the seat belt saves more lives than any other public health intervention

29. Helmets The main risk factor for motor cyclists is not wearing a helmet

30. Enforcement of comprehensive legislation with appropriate penalties and accompanied by public awareness campaigns is a critical factor in reducing road traffic injuries and deaths

31. Governments to ensure that institutions nominated as responsible for action on road safety are fostering multisectoral collaboration and have the necessary human and financial resources to act effectively.

32. Governments need to encourage collaboration between the different sectors involved in collecting and reporting data on road traffic injuries.

33. The international community also has a responsibility in halting and reversing the current global trend of increasing road traffic deaths, by recognizing road traffic injuries as an important health and development problem and by intensifying support for prevention

34. The results of this survey can inform policy decisions with other international and national studies and programmes such as the UN Regional Commissions’ projects on setting targets for road traffic casualty reductions alongside implementation and evaluation of the good practice manuals of the UN Road Safety Collaboration. The results can leverage political support and resources for safer road transportation for all road users.

35. A Decade of Action for Road Safety One key milestone is the First Global Ministerial Conference on Road Safety to be held in Moscow in November 2009, when delegates are likely to call for a Decade of Action for Road Safety-- an opportunity to catalayse further action at the global, regional and national levels.

37. Thank you