Ten Step Plan for Safer Road Infrastructure

Road crashes are the biggest killer of young people worldwide, and the injury burden impacts every country on earth. In total, 1.35 million people are killed and 30-50 million people are injured in preventable road crashes every year. Pedestrians, cyclists, and motorcyclists account for nearly half of all road deaths and a significant proportion of injuries.

Road infrastructure plays a significant role in influencing the likelihood or severity of a crash. An undivided road with head-on risk built-in, a high-speed road with dangerous roadsides or an urban road with no facilities for safe pedestrian or cyclist movement are just some examples of road features that impact crashes. The cost of road trauma is estimated to be 3-6% of national GDP each and every year in low and middle-income countries.

Unlocking the potential of safer roads to save lives, save money and achieve the UN Global Road Safety Performance Targets is the focus of the “Ten Step Plan for Safer Road Infrastructure” project, which was recently selected by the United Nations Road Safety Fund (UNRSF) Steering Committee to be implemented by IRF, iRAP and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA). Integrated with safe system action across all pillars, the “Ten Step Plan” will ensure that the global fatality and serious injury reduction targets are met by 2030.

The project aims to achieve this goal by taking action to improve roads in Tanzania as a pilot and by building its capacity to improve physical infrastructure. The “Ten Step Plan”, recently endorsed by the “Safer Roads and Mobility” group of UNRSC, serves as an adaptable framework for countries to implement within their capacity. The plan is structured in such a way as to support the UN Global Framework Plan of Action for Road Safety (GFPA) and UN legal instruments, and to help countries improve road safety management and road infrastructure as a whole.

More information is available here:

rsf