United Nations Regional Commissions Improving Global Road Safety Setting Regional and National Road Traffic Casualty Reduction Targets Report and Recommendations United Nations Regional Commissions Report of the implementation of the project “Improving Global Road Safety: Setting Regional and National Road Traffic Casualty Reduction Targets” Funded by the United Nations Development Account New York and Geneva, 2010 NOTE The designations employed and the presentation of the material in this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Secretariat of the United Nations concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area, or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontier or boundaries. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This report on the implementation of the project “Improving Global Road Safety: setting regional and national road traffic reduction targets” funded by the United Nations Development Account, was commissioned by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, with kind additional funding by the Global Transport Knowledge Partnership (gTKP), from Mrs. Kate McMahon, Road Safety Consultant. It was produced in cooperation with the secretariats of all the United Nations regional commissions. iii MESSAGE FROM THE SECRETARY-GENERAL In a world where more than 1 million people die and more than 50 million are injured each year on roads, this publication provides an essential service. More than half of all road traffic victims are working age, making road safety critical to both health and economic development. With motorization increasing rapidly in low- and middle-income countries, public health experts are concerned that safety measures will not keep pace with intensifying road activity. A large proportion of traffic crashes are, however, caused by factors that are known and can be prevented. These include excess speeding; driving under the influence of alcohol; non-use of seat belts, child restraints and helmets; non respect for vulnerable road users, such as pedestrians and cyclists; and unsafe road infrastructure. But as is often the case, there is a gap between knowing and doing. A United Nations regional commissions project has, over a period of two years, examined how setting targets can help countries implement road safety policies effectively. The current publication is the report of this project, entitled “Improving Global Road Safety: Setting Road Traffic Casualty Reduction Targets”, and provides guidelines and recommendations for setting and reaching appropriate targets for countries and regions. Studies show that countries with road traffic casualty targets perform better in road safety and have lower fatalities than those without. Furthermore, it is believed that fixed goals help motivate action and garner the necessary support. This new book complements the United Nations’ existing road safety work, as well as the efforts of other international organizations. I commend it to all those concerned about deaths and injuries on roads, and hope it will be widely used to raise awareness, improve safety and save lives. Ban Ki-moon Secretary-General United Nations iv CONTENTS Message from the Secretary-General ................................................................ iv Section 1 Introduction ................................................................................ 1 1.1 Introduction............................................................................................. 1 1.2 Background ............................................................................................. 1 1.3 Objectives and rationale for the project ....................................................... 3 1.3.1 The importance of a targeted approach.............................................. 1.3.2 Types of targets ............................................................................. 1.3.3 Examples of national road safety targets............................................ 1.3.4 Ambitious long-term targets and the Safe System approach ................. 1.3.5 Objectives and methodology of the UNDA Targets project..................... Section 2 Implementation of the project in the UNECE region ..................... 10 2.1 Road safety situation in the UNECE region.................................................... 11 2.2 Road safety situation in UNECE by sub-regional groupings.............................. 17 2.2.1 . EU member States .......................................................................... 2.2.2 Eastern Europe, Caucasus and Central Asia......................................... 2.2.3 South Eastern Europe ...................................................................... 2.3 Choice of countries for action ..................................................................... 25 2.4 The UNECE regional seminar ...................................................................... 26 2.4.1 Participation ................................................................................... 2.4.2 Opening sessions ............................................................................ 2.4.3 Road safety situation by country ....................................................... 2.4.4 Reports from the other United Nations regional commissions ................. 2.4.5 Presentations from international experts............................................. 2.5 The conference on improving road safety in South Eastern Europe................... 32 2.5.1 Participation ................................................................................... 2.5.2 Opening sessions ............................................................................ 2.5.3 Road safety in Greece ...................................................................... 2.5.4 Road safety in South Eastern Europe ................................................. 2.5.5 Presentations from international experts............................................. 2.6 Conclusions and recommendations of the Seminar and Conference ................. 36 2.7 Discussion of the outcome of the seminar and conference and their contribution to the UNDA targets project ........................................................... 38 2.8 The seminar-cum-study tour in Sweden ..................................................... 39 2.9 The national seminar in Kyrgyzstan........................................................... 40 2.10 The Eurobasket declaration on road safety ................................................. 40 Section 3 Activities in other United Nations regional commissions 41 3.1 Implementation of the project in the UNECLAC region.................................... 41 3.1.1 Seminars in the UNECLAC region ...................................................... 3.2 Implementation of the project in the UNESCWA region................................... 44 v 3.2.1 Workshops in the UNESCWA region................................................. 3.3 Implementation of the project in the UNECA region .................................... 48 3.3.1 The conference and seminar in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania ...................... 3.4 Implementation of the project in the UNESCAP region.................................... 53 3.4.1 Road safety meetings in the UNESCAP region...................................... 3.4.2 Major conclusions and recommendations ............................................ 3.4.3 Road safety goals, targets and indicators............................................ 3.4.4 Advisory missions and seminars under the project ............................... 3.4.5 Implementation of targets and indicators by UNESCAP member countries Section 4 Conclusions from the UNDA project .............................................. 64 4.1 Current situation on target setting .............................................................. 64 4.2 Implementation of the project.................................................................... 64 4.3 Discussion............................................................................................... 65 Section 5 Recommendations ........................................................................ 66 5.1 Follow-up action to the UNDA project .......................................................... 66 5.2 Key steps for implementation of a targeted approach to road casualty Reduction ................................................................................................ 68 5.2.1 Type of target................................................................................. 5.2.2 Recommendations for action............................................................. 5.2.3 Creating the political climate for action............................................... 5.2.4 Understanding and targeting the problem ........................................... 5.2.5 Delivering measures to achieve the target .......................................... 5.3 Conclusions ............................................................................................. 74 References ................................................................................................... 76 Annexes I. Statement by Greek basketball champions ................................................ 77 II. Declaration by the Hellenic Chambers of Commerce and Industry.................. 78 III. Buenos Aires Declaration ......................................................................... 80 IV. Panama City Declaration.........................................................................