Strategy to improve road safety in developing countries (original) (raw)
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Road traffic accidents in rich developing countries: the caseof the State of Qatar
Qatar Foundation Annual Research Forum Proceedings, 2010
Libya is a rich developing country which suffers the consequences of explosions in both human and vehicle population. This has been accompanied by a heavy toll of deaths. In 1977, road accidents were the cause of IO% of all deaths and 62% of male deaths in the age group IS-25 The rates-per hundred million veh km-of fatalities, injuries and accidents (1980) were 35,202 and 416 respectively.
Traffic safety in developed and developing countries A comparative analysis.pdf
It is now well recognized that road safety is a worldwide public health problem and there is a high public awareness about road traffic injuries, their grave consequences and enormous costs to society. Road safety developments are correlated with socioeconomic factors such as level of motorization and economic growth which differs significantly between developed and developing countries. This paper discusses and compares the magnitude, trends and causes of traffic accidents, accident costs and cost estimation methods, strategies and countermeasures in both developing and developed countries. Traffic safety data for the period 2003-2013 from selected developing countries are analyzed and compared with European countries (EU). The fatality rates per population for the developing countries were found to be substantially higher than those in EU countries. EU strive to make their fatality rates dropping towards their zero vision while those for developing countries may continue to be high unless effective measures are implemented to reduce the magnitude and severity of their accidents. Accident costs were found to be a real economic burden in developing countries estimated at more than 2% of their Gross Domestic Product (GDP) much higher compared to developed countries. The results suggest that road safety is more appreciated in developed countries. Although developed countries have a good experience in applying road safety programs, it is more difficult to apply the same safety programs in developing countries. This research also highlights the countries' experiences in road safety improvements.
Traffic Safety in Developed and Developing Countries: A Comparative Analysis
Journal of Traffic and Logistics Engineering
It is now well recognized that road safety is a worldwide public health problem and there is a high public awareness about road traffic injuries, their grave consequences and enormous costs to society. Road safety developments are correlated with socioeconomic factors such as level of motorization and economic growth which differs significantly between developed and developing countries. This paper discusses and compares the magnitude, trends and causes of traffic accidents, accident costs and cost estimation methods, strategies and countermeasures in both developing and developed countries. Traffic safety data for the period 2003-2013 from selected developing countries are analyzed and compared with European countries (EU). The fatality rates per population for the developing countries were found to be substantially higher than those in EU countries. EU strive to make their fatality rates dropping towards their zero vision while those for developing countries may continue to be high unless effective measures are implemented to reduce the magnitude and severity of their accidents. Accident costs were found to be a real economic burden in developing countries estimated at more than 2% of their Gross Domestic Product (GDP) much higher compared to developed countries. The results suggest that road safety is more appreciated in developed countries. Although developed countries have a good experience in applying road safety programs, it is more difficult to apply the same safety programs in developing countries. This research also highlights the countries' experiences in road safety improvements. Index Terms-Road fatalities, accidents cost, safety programs, developing countries
Identifying Risk Factors: A Pattern Analysis of Road Traffic Accidents in Developing Countries
ANALYSIS OF PATTERNS ASSOCIATED WITH ROAD TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES, 2017
Prevention of road traffic injuries in the developing world has been hampered by limitations of knowledge, absence of reliable estimates of the current level of injuries and traditionally restrictive views on health and disease. This situation exists because research for the reduction of traffic injuries is funded at a disproportionately lower level than other health issues. In addition, governments have not viewed the problem of road traffic injuries as a public health problem. Furthermore, fatality rates are also related to some social and economic parameters including population per physician, population per hospital bed, school-age population attending schools, vehicle ownership and gross national product per capita. Finally, during the period 1983–2007 motor vehicle accidents in Qatar ranked the second leading cause of death after cardiovascular diseases. During the study period, i.e. 1983–2007, the number of accidents increased by 217.4% (32,383 to 102,776), injuries by 62.1% (1560 to 2529) and fatalities by 73% (115 to 199). Rate of injuries per 100,000 population declined in 2007 (206.2 from 519.5) and so did the rate of fatalities (16.2 from 38.3) when compared to those of 1983. Qatar had the highest fatality rate among the developed and developing countries, although the injury rate was lower than some of the developed countries.
Road safety policies, strategies and action plans, along with trends in road traffic injuries (RTIs) in the oil-rich Gulf Cooperative Council (GCC) countries were examined to appraise their road safety work with an overall objective of identifying key measures and initiatives that would reduce RTA and their resulting consequences in these countries. Data on RTIs was obtained from police and from vital statistics and was analyzed. Research papers, policy documents, and strategies, obtained from relevant stakeholders in the six GCC countries, were reviewed and discussed. Traffic Safety Programs and action plans, which were the most fundamental documents in the development of the GCC countries' road safety policies and strategies, were reviewed. Policy documents on road safety and traffic related issues were searched on the websites of related authorities. Published research on road safety in GCC countries was searched using available databases. Analysis of accident data shows that the fatality rates in all the GCC countries are much higher than developed countries with good safety records. The six administrations started the fundamental traffic safety programs to combat the increase in RTIs, with some succeeding in reducing RTI rates by implementing vast road safety improvements. However, RTIs increased again mainly because of increasing traffic volume and high-risk driving behavior. Developing and implementing national road safety strategies in some GCC countries was successful in reducing the RTI rates. The road safety situation in the six GCC countries was assessed showing high crash and fatality rates compared to developed countries. Most GCC countries still suffer from sustainable increase in traffic crashes despite the efforts to reduce their magnitude and severity. Some of these countries have developed and implemented national road safety strategies, while countries like Oman still need to develop such a long-term strategy. Following the review of the current progress in road safety initiatives developed or implemented, it is apparent that there is still considerable room for improvement. In view of the fact that the oil-rich GCC countries have similar economic, social, and political background, a number of specific areas of action common to all countries were identified to achieve a safer road environment in the studied countries.
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 2019
Road traffic crashes (RTCs) are one of the most critical public health problems worldwide. The WHO Global Status Report on Road Safety suggests that the annual fatality rate (per 100,000 people) due to RTCs in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) has increased from 17.4 to 27.4 over the last decade, which is an alarming situation. This paper presents an overview of RTCs in the Eastern Province, KSA, from 2009 to 2016. Key descriptive statistics for spatial and temporal distribution of crashes are presented. Statistics from the present study suggest that the year 2012 witnessed the highest number of crashes, and that the region Al-Ahsa had a significantly higher proportion of total crashes. It was concluded that the fatality rate for the province was 25.6, and the mean accident to injury ratio was 8:4. These numbers are substantially higher compared to developed countries and the neighboring Gulf states. Spatial distribution of crashes indicated that a large proportion of severe crashes...
Road safety and road traffic accidents in Saudi Arabia. A systematic review of existing evidence
OBJECTIVES: To identify the changing trends and crucial preventive approaches to road traffic accidents (RTAs) adopted in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) over the last 2.5 decades, and to analyze aspects previously overlooked. METHODS: This systematic review was based on evidence of RTAs in KSA. All articles published during the last 25 years on road traffic accident in KSA were analyzed. This study was carried out from December 2013 to May 2014 in the Department of Family and Community Medicine, Taibah University, Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah, KSA. RESULTS: Road traffic accidents accounted for 83.4% of all trauma admissions in 1984-1989, and no such overall trend was studied thereafter. The most frequently injured body regions as reported in the latest studies were head and neck, followed by upper and lower extremities, which was found to be opposite to that of the studies reported earlier. Hospital data showed an 8% non-significant increase in road accident mortalities in contrast to police records of a 27% significant reduction during the years 2005-2010. Excessive speeding was the most common cause reported in all recent and past studies. CONCLUSION: Disparity was common in the type of reporting of RTAs, outcome measures, and possible causes over a period of 2.5 decade. All research exclusively looked into the drivers' faults. A sentinel surveillance of road crashes should be kept in place in the secondary and tertiary care hospitals for all regions of KSA.
A New Strategy to Enhance Traffic Safety in Developing Countries
2015
The rapid expansion of motor vehicle use in developing countries resulted in a sharp rise in road traffic related deaths and injuries. The UN General Assembly recognized road deaths and injuries as a global epidemic since 2003. More than 90% of the 1.2 million people who die each year in traffic related crashes are from the developing countries in which more than 51% are vulnerable road users. The Kurdistan region in Iraq has been chosen for this study where the number of registered vehicles has increased exponentially in the last decade, and the official number of fatalities in 2013 was 1,114. This number, however, is highly under-reported; the actual figure of fatalities is estimated to be 100% more than the reported number according to World Health Organization. Pedestrians in the region are not separated from vehicles even on high speed roads, in front of schools, bus stops, parks and commercial areas. In addition, driving education and risk assessment is poor among drivers. A p...
Accident Analysis & Prevention, 2002
Road traffic accidents (RTAs) are increasingly being recognized as a growing public health problem in Bedouin Arabian Gulf countries. The discovery of oil around the middle of the last century has lead to changes in many aspects of life in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), not least in regard to the amount of vehicles on the roads. Whilst affluence may advance a country in terms of technology, infrastructure and economic stability, it is not necessarily the case that general patterns of behaviour will adapt at the same speed. This is one of the reasons suggested for the high number of incidents involving aggressive driving behaviour and driving offenses. The study of such incidents, and their relation to traffic accidents, has become a major concern of researchers over several years. This current investigation presents recent data concerning RTAs and road user behaviour in UAE during 2000. Careless driving is identified as the most important factor in RTAs over the period of study, accounting for over 35% of all incidents, while excessive speed was the second most common cause. The findings are discussed in regard to the necessity of changing behaviour of drivers through media campaigns and health education. It is hoped that the findings of this study may assist decision makers and international consultants in the formulation of policies and the development of alternative plans to improve urban transportation system in the UAE.
Statues of Road Safety in the Developing Countries : Case study of Middle East Countries
2017
Road safety is considered an important issue by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and other global organisations which acknowledged the first steps towards reducing the annual road fatalities rate by applying global strategies. Despite the significant reduction in crash rate in the developed countries, the developing countries still has the majority of the reported road fatalities and injuries in the world. WHO has addressed the reasons behind this and some collaborated agencies started to conduct studies regarding the road safety issue in developing countries. This research will review the road safety management system in the developing countries. It will be focus on the regional scale of the problem, especially Middle East region. The results of the multi criteria analysis of the data collected from the countries profiles published by the WHO is presented. This analysis demonstrate that countries with unstable political and war condition have the worst road safety management sys...