Speed management : A road safety manual for decision-makers and practitioners

The third good practice manual jointly prepared by GRSP, WHO, the FIA Foundation and the World Bank, on speed management, was launched by GRSP ahead of the United Nations General Assembly discussion on road safety later this month. Speed has been identified as a key risk factor in road traffic injuries, influencing both the risk of a road traffic crash as well as the severity of the injuries that result from crashes. For instance, pedestrians have a 90% chance of survival if hit by a car travelling at a speed of 30km/h or below, but less than a 50% chance of surviving an impact of 45km/h or above.
This speed management manual proposes simple, effective and low-cost solutions to excessive and inappropriate speed that can be implemented on a national or local level. It targets governments, non-governmental organizations and road safety practitioners, particularly those in low- and middle-income countries. The manual is based on a modular structure that provides evidence, examples, case studies and practical steps on how to manage vehicle speed.
The manual essentially provides guidance on the following:
• The background evidence on why speed is a risk factor and why it is important to start a speed management programme;
• The steps needed to undertake a problem assessment in a country;
• How to plan and implement a programme, including setting up a working group, developing a plan, examples of laws and enforcement, how to develop public education and publicity campaigns; and finally
• How to evaluate the programme.
The key principles and practical steps that this manual presents can easily be adapted and made relevant to different contexts around the world. The partners on this manual hope that this document will be used by policy-makers, decision-makers and other players to support the implementation of speed management programmes in different countries.

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Source--http://www.who.int/roadsafety/projects/manuals/seatbelt/en/

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Drinking and driving – an international good practice manual

The second good practice manual, on drinking and driving, was launched by the Global Road Safety Partnership (GRSP) ahead of the UN Road Safety Week.


Drinking and driving is one of the main causes of road crashes worldwide. In high-income countries about 20% of fatally injured drivers have excess alcohol in their blood, while in some low- and middle-income countries these figures may be up to 69%. Effective drinking and driving programmes have the potential to save thousands of lives, and was identified by the World report on road traffic injury prevention as a proven and effective measure to reduce death and injury on the road.
The good practice manual Drinking and driving, a road safety manual for decision-makers and practitioners, proposes simple, effective and low-cost solutions to prevent drinking and driving that can be implemented on a national or local level. It targets governments, non-governmental organizations and road safety practitioners, particularly those in low and middle-income countries.
The manual draws on experience from countries that have succeeded in reducing drinking and driving and includes guidance on the following:
• The background evidence to start a drinking and driving programme,
• The steps needed to undertake a problem assessment in a country,
• How to plan and implement a programme, including setting up a working group, developing a plan, examples of laws and enforcement, how to develop public education and publicity campaigns, and finally how to evaluate the programme.
In developing this manual the authors have drawn on case studies from around the world to illustrate ‘good practice’. The manual will be implemented in a number of countries over the next two years, starting in China through the Global Road Safety Partnership’s GRSI initiative, but extending to cover countries from Africa, Latin America and the Middle East.
Drinking and driving was produced in collaboration with the WHO, World Bank, and FIA Foundation as the second in a series of road safety good practice manuals being published as part of the UN Road Safety Collaboration.
GRSP Chief Executive David Silcock said "drinking and driving is one of the major causes of road crashes and often innocent victims, not the drunk driver, are killed or maimed. We will work closely with our partners around the world to apply this good practice and urge all committed to road safety to take a long hard look at the issue in their country".

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Source--http://www.who.int/roadsafety/projects/manuals/seatbelt/en/

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Helmets: a road safety manual for decision-makers and practitioners

Many countries around the world are facing the problem of a rapidly rising number of people injured or killed while riding two-wheelers – motorcycles and bicycles. A large proportion of the deaths and severe injuries result from injuries to the head. Helmets are effective in reducing the likelihood of head injuries, as well as their severity. Increasing helmet use in a country is thus an important way of improving road safety.
This manual provides practical advice to road safety practitioners on how to achieve a much higher proportion of users of two-wheeled vehicles wearing helmets. It follows on from the World report on road traffic injury prevention, which described evidence that setting and enforcing mandatory helmet use is an effective intervention for reducing injuries and fatalities among two-wheeler users. The manual is one of a series of documents produce by an informal consortium (WHO, the Global Road Safety Partnership, the World Bank, and the FIA Foundation for the Automobile and Society) that aims to provide guidance to countries on how to implement some of the recommendations identified within the World Report, and thus improve their overall road safety record.
The manual is for use in countries that want to improve the rates of helmets use among users of two-wheelers, locally or at national level. It is targeted at governments, nongovernmental organizations and road safety practitioners. As well as providing the necessary background evidence that will be useful to anyone starting a helmet programme, it provides technical advice on the steps needed to assess the helmet situation in a country, on how to design and implement a helmet use programme in response to such an assessment, and on the need to evaluate the programme so that the impact of what has been implemented can be assessed, and so that the programme can be improved accordingly.

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Source--http://www.who.int/roadsafety/projects/manuals/seatbelt/en/

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Seat-belts and child restraints: a road safety manual for decision-makers and practitioners

Officially launched on 6 February 2009, the fourth in this series of good practice manuals, jointly prepared by the FIA Foundation for the Automobile and Society, the Global Road Safety Partnership, the World Bank and WHO, focuses on seat-belts and child restraints. The launch event was held in Costa Rica in the presence of the country’s Transport Minister, Karla Gonzalez; former Formula One driver, Michael Schumacher; and Make Roads Safe Campaign Ambassador, Michelle Yeoh.

Failure to use a seat-belt is a major risk factor for road traffic deaths and injuries among vehicle occupants. Passengers who are not wearing seat-belts at the time of a collision account for the majority of occupant road traffic fatalities.

The manual is a practical guide to implementing, enforcing and evaluating seat-belt and child restraint programmes, and consists of a series of 'how to' modules. It provides evidence of why the use of seat-belts and child restraints is important and takes the users through the steps needed to assess the situation in their own countries. It then explains the steps needed to design, plan and implement a seat-belt and child restraint programme. Finally, the manual guides users on how to monitor and evaluate such programmes so that the results can be fed back into programme design. For each of these activities, the document outlines in a practical way the various steps that need to be taken.

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Source--http://www.who.int/roadsafety/projects/manuals/seatbelt/en/

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Statement by Floor Lieshout,YOURS-Youth for Road Safety at First Global Ministerial Conference on Road Safety

President Medvedev,honourable ministers,distinguished guests,my fellow youth delegates,

Statistics show that if I die next week,among all possible causes of death,a traffic crash is the most likely.As a native of the Netherlands-one of the safest countries in the world-I am still more likely to die from a road crash than from any other cause.My peers-in particular young men like my self-from many other countries of the world face an even greater risk of dying on the road.

Globally,road traffic injuries are the leading cause of death for young people.Everyday more than 1000 young lives are ended and thousands more young people are injured on the world's roads.Unfortunately,many oung people are also implicated in the causes of these tragedies,particularly as drivers.In most regions of the world these numbers will continue to rise,if urgent action is not taken now.

This is why we young people have mobilized and taken the decision to be part of the solution.Yesterday we met with enthusiastic and committed youth leaders from all regions of the world.I am honoured to speak on their behalf of so many young people.

In 2007 the First World Youth Assembly for Road safety was organized by the World Health Organisation and the UN Economic Commission for Europe in Geneva.More than 400 young people from over 100 countries addressed road safety.After the Assembly they returned home to meet with ministers in their countries,flag the issue in national media and launch safety campaigns.

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YOUTH DECLARATION MOSCOW

Youth Leaders Commit to a Decade of Action for Road Safety

The leaders of today and tomorrow working together to increase road safety,save young lives,and prepare for safer generation.

Your excellencies,leaders of the world today,decision and policy makers,as you discuss the causes and implications of the road safety problem and adopt a Decade of Action we urge you to keep in mind the victims of road crashes,especially all the young people we have lost too soon;young people who were breadwinners,protecting their families from poverty;young people who could have made a difference in your countries and in our world.

On the 8th of November 2009,the day before the First Global Ministerial Conference on Road Safety,we,youth leaders from many countries,participated in a Youth Meeting to raise awareness of the critical position of youth in traffic and to discuss how young people can work together with different stakeholders to control the impact of this world wide epidemic,especially in the context of the declared Decade of Action for Road Safety.

Young people under 25 years represent almost 40% of the victims of road traffic injuries.Annually,we lose around 400,000 young lives and damage millions more.This means that every month,we are losing more than 30,000 lives and every day,a day just like this one,more than 1,000 young lives are coming to end.We are certain that you share not only our concern,but are keen to change this situation.We are confident that you, like us,refuse to pay this high a price for transportation,transportation that was initially mean to better our lives.

We,young people,commit ourselves to play a significant role in the Decade of Action.Youth initiatives have already spurred in tens of countries and we will make sure more will be born.Since the World Youth Assembly for Road Safety in 2007,a global youth network has been established and we will work to expand it and strengthen it.Finally,what was once only a dream of zealous young people is now a certain reality.YOURS-Youth for Road Safety-is the first global youth-led NGO for road safety and it will start its activities after the First Global Ministerial Conference on Road Safety.


We therefore urge you to:

1.Talk about youth and Road safety issues,learn about the situation of young people on the roads of your country and bring their issues to the forefront.

2.Design road safety policies and programs that address youth congress and engage young people in their planning and implementation.

3.Invest in young people in your country,build youth capacities,and support local youth road safety initiatives.

4.Support the mission of YOURS by connnecting us to local road safety stakeholders and youth groups,sharing your knowledge and experience,providing technical expertise,and/or providing financial resources.

"The deepest definition of youth is life as yet untouched by tragedy"

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