Road safety WHO experience

Dr Krishnan Rajam, Technical Officer

Injury and Violence Prevention

Presentation on
Overview, trends
Data systems issues
Lead agencies coordinating mechanism, resources
Community based model projects - WHO experience
Way forward

Road traffic fatalities are predicted to increase

by the year 2020 esp. in Asia Pacific

Source:
Bank
World World
Bank data

Road safety action areas

1. Policy
Leadership (Cabinet)
Transport
Local government

2. Sectors
Legislation, enforcement
Land use city planning, transport , pedestrian / bicycle paths
Safe roads audit of new / existing, black spot treatment
Safe vehicles manufacture, import, regular checks
Health pre-hospital, trauma care, rehabilitation

3. Advocacy
4. Research, Surveillance and Evaluation

Issues and Challenges

Current data systems (often police based)

Different definitions death at site; < 7, 30 days

Different sources police, health, transport & lack of linkage
Lack of victim follow-up - late deaths / disability
Emphasis on human error as cause
From black spot management to network safety management
Inappropriate use of technology, systems - GPS, IRAP, etc
Misinterpretation of existing data (e.g. denominator)
Inadequate dissemination/ utilization of data

Under-reporting deaths and serious injuries

Country

Reported no.
deaths

Cambodia
Indonesia
Lao PDR
Myanmar
Philippines
China

1 668
16 548
656
1 638
1 638
96 611

Modelled no.
deaths

1 749
37 438
1075
11 422
17 557
220 783
Malaysia 2009
Deaths 6 745
Serious injury 8 849
Minor injury 15 823

* Despite under-reporting of
deaths / serious injuriesinappropriate use of
technology / system
black spot methods, GPS,
etc

Lead agencies for road safety

- Source- GSRRS

26 participating countries
All except Micronesia, Tuvalu and Vanuatu have a lead agency
Only 9 have endorsed & funded national strategy, set targets
Only 12 have policy to encourage public transportation
Only 10 have policy to encourage walking / cycling
Coordinating mechanisms ineffective resource imbalance across sectors

Japan

Interventions

Mainly education based, esp. on children, drivers

Media campaign focused

Research conducted in UK for DOT has effectively

trained children using a combination of real-traffic
training, peer and adult interactions using
computer simulations, and reinforcement.
While the US should develop a similar model, the
large population makes it difficult to implement
this in every school. NHTSA, 2009

WHO support in road safety

Capacity building training workshops - national, regional, subregional

Develop national plans - CAM, LAO, VTN, MOG, PHL, TON, VTN
Decade of Action launch 17 countries
Data systems CAM, CHN, VTN, PHL, MOG
Data collection GSRRS 1 and 2
Model community-based projects
Road safety in Healthy Cities

Dalian,

Suzhou, Darkhan, Phnom Penh, Vientiane

Road safety in Provinces CAM, VTN, PHL (Guimaras)

Way forward

Data systems count all deaths /injuries; special studies for risk factors
Capacity building across sectors
Demonstration projects implement and evaluate road safety
interventions low hanging speed, seat belts, helmets, drinking & driving

Priority countries CHN, MOG, CAM, LAO, VTN, PHL, MAA, BRU, PIC