Confronting “Death on Wheels” Making Roads Safe in the Europe and Central Asia Region (ECA) (May 12, 2010)

2 1.The problem: trends, size, characteristics, causes 2.Effective measures to improve road safety 3.Current international road safety policy 4.Possible strategies and actions by with the partners Challenges and opportunities in addressing road safety in the ECA Region

Traffic Safety in the South Caucasus 3

Road Traffic Injury (RTI) Mortality Rate Trends European Region EU CIS CIS countries: Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, the Republic of Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan. EU-27 countries: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. CIS European Region EU-27

Alarming trends 4-wheel vehicle occupants: 40-75% of road traffic incidents deaths Young adults, especially men: 55% of road traffic deaths in ECA countries are people aged 15–44, mostly 15–29; > 80% of deaths are men Cyclists, motorcyclists at high risk (but small % of total) Motorcyclists, pedestrians at 7-9 times greater risk of death if in an accident than people in vehicles Pedestrians – more likely to be children or elderly, and people with lower incomes In Albania, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Ukraine, pedestrians are ≥ 40% of all road fatalities, 31-38% in all ECA 5

Factors that contribute to Road Traffic Injury 6 Institutional and Financial Lack of data /problem awareness Inadequate response, resources Behaviors Inadequate laws/rules and poor enforcement Bad driving (speeding, recklessness, alcohol, some medications) Not using seatbelts, helmets (cyclists, motorbikes) Mobile phone use and texting Roads Poor road design (no crossings, walkways, poor visibility) Roadside hazards (trees, poles, signs) Mixing traffic and pedestrians Vehicles Unsafe vehicles, without airbags & other crash protection devices Huge increase in vehicle numbers (poor public transport) “Are you in a hurry to reach us?"

Effective Approaches 7 Action Areas Prevent accidents and injury Minimize injuries when accidents occur Recovery: reduce injury severity afterwards Cost effectiveness Savings vary from $1 (motorcycle helmets) to $36 (random alcohol level testing) per dollar spent on interventions Elements of Success Make road safety integral to transport policy Plan long term, demonstrate short term gains Measure outcomes, monitor performance Competent lead agency coordinates actions by transport, interior, police, health, education etc Ensure adequate financing Good public transport options

Efforts to prevent Road Traffic Injuries 8 MUCH MORE IS POSSIBLE… Enforcement is often lacking Of 29 countries in the ECA Region: 27 have a lead agency for road safety 19 allocate funds in the national budget 19 have a strategy with clear targets, 16 of these are funded 25 set blood alcohol limits at/below recommended level (0.05g/dl) 27 do spot checks for alcohol levels many require formal audits for major new road construction projects and regular audits of existing roads, many promote public transportation, walking, and cycling

World Bank and Donors support to date Practical guidelines to help countries implement these recommendations Global Road Safety Facility generates funding and Technical Assistance for country road safety efforts Road safety management capacity reviews done in many ECA countries World Bank-supported road safety investments in transport and health projects Information and policy dialogue 9

Thank you 10