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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6. Examples of Good Practice

In Bangladesh,where road safety education is limited,one organization,the Centre for the Rehabilitation of the Paralysed,has been begun sending current and former patients who were paralyzed in road accidents to visit schools and discuss their tragedy.The centre has also produced road safety advice leaflets,which it distributes to schools.NGO promotion of road safety is the objective of a recent World Bank initiative in Bangladesh.
Fiji has recently introduced traffic safety into curriculum.A teachers' guide is being developed and the National Road Safety Council in association with the Department of Education is introducing a number of initiatives,including visiting drama groups to present safety plays for school children and development of a road safety character called "Road Ranger"to provide safety advice.
Several road safety education booklets have been produced recently in India.The previously mentioned Loss Prevention Association's Publication and Dealing with Traffic-A guide for Young People were produced from the proceeds of an art exhibition held during The International Conference on Traffic Safety in New Delhi in 1991.
In kazakstan,the traffic police are active in the organization of road safety lessons by teachers in the schools.Parents are also involved with the parents of entry classes being tested themselves on their road safety knowledge.Parents are requested to help their children identify and map out a safe route to school.
A road safety education project in Nepal funded by the Overseas Development Administration(ODA)of the United Kingdom(UK)has produced local safety education materials,including readers,workbooks,posters,and teachers guides.
These materials were produced by ateam of writes from the Primary Education Curriculum Text Book Design Unit after undergoing a week's orientation,which included field visits to rehabilitated roads,discussions with traffic police and pediatricians,and a brief review of road safety materials designed for schools in the UK.
Puppet shows were used to introduce the topic of road safety education into primary schools as well as women's groups and road side communities.
The experiences of accident victims are used in many countries to emphasis the personal consequences of road accidents.In Denmark,a team of people crippled in road accidents visit schools as part of an RSE program.In the United States(US),Mother Against Drunk Drivers often send representatives to speak to schools,especially,the age groups where students are starting to drive.
All speakers must be properly trained and can serve an effective supplementary role.

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5. BENEFITS AND EFFECTS

The potential benefits of RSE for children include the following:

1)increased awareness and knowledge of traffic enviornment;
2)appropriate survival skills necessary for the safe use of the road enviornment;
3)understanding of the behavior and attitudes taht have an influence on road safety ;
3)understanding of the behavior and attitudes that have an influence on road safety;
4)knowledge and understanding of how humans,vehicles,and systems interact with work;
5)decision making skills taht will enable them to make choices and to take responsibility for their own safety and that of others;
6)esteem and care for other people;
7)knowledge and understanding of the causes and consequences of road accidents;and
8)necessary knowledge,understanding,and skills to travel safely in or on a vehicle,while showing consideration for others.

Research shows that human error plays a large part in road accidents.It is a contributory factor in about 95 percent of accidents.By teaching the basics of road safety to children,they are prepared for the future and developing positive,safe attitudes tha will have benefit in years to come as thses children become teenagers and then adults.Inculcation of safety skills in children can provide lifelong benefits to society.In countries where the number of motorized vehicle is still increasing,the number of accidents is likely to rise unless steps are taken to educate road users at an early age.

Attitudes developed in the earliest years largely define how the individual behaves on the road in later years.Attitudes are difficult to change once they have been formed.It is easier to teach good habits at an early age than to break bad habits later.RSE has long-term benefits for the community in terms of road users behavior as it helps to develop positive attitudes and values.RSE should commence at an early age-at kindergarten,or even earlier through publicity initiatives aimed at parents.

Road safety education is necessary to provide the basis for improving road user behavior overtime.Because it involves the development of safe,positive attitudes,it will always be a long term investment.This is especially because it is tryin to counteract attitudes and behavior learned from and continually reinforced by parents and others in close contact with the children who tend to pass on unsafe behavior.

Many of a child's attitudes are learned in the first five years of life from their parents and carers.Once developed,attitudes can be difficult to change.

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4 Stages of development

The development of an effective road safety education program in a developing country will most probably involve the country proceeding through a number of stages.The major steps are typically as follows:

1)review of current practices and responsibilities for RSE.RSE provided by schools,police,or service groups should be assessed in light of accident data and recent trends to identify priority areas and opportunities for improvement;

2)short -term and immediate improvements to the current system identified and introduced.To enable RSE to continue in more effective form while more substantial programs are set up,short-term improvements to the existing system should be undertaken.For example,if police team visit school to givetalks on road safety they can increase effectiveness by basic training,content review,and production of worksheets that can be left at the school outings with practical road safety lessons incorporated:

3)introduce RSE pilot project.Areas where road accidents are a serious problem should be targeted first.Local expertise should be developed.Villages near rehabilitated roads are an ideal candidate as the accident risk is increasing.Aid-funded projects are beginning to fund local RSE programs in order to prepare road side communities for expected increases in vehicle speeds and traffic volumes.Local reference material should be produced and may require preliminary road safety awareness seminars offered by an RSE specialist;

4)develop RSE school curriculum contentTo ensure relevant skills are taught to each group in a structured way,RSE policy and plans should be drawn up to improve provision in a sensible and organized manner and to identify priority areas in the country.Clearly defined responsibility for RSE and goood coordination between providers is necessary;

5)produce basic classroom materials and teacher's guides.It is important to ensure relevance of materials to the local situation and to accident problems identified.Teachers' guides and materials should be pilot tested before final production.When a teachers' guide is available,ideally all current and new teachers should have their own copy;

6)improve teacher training.Development and inclusion of road safety in initial teacher training through colleges and continuing professional development.This should include the abilities of different aged children,implications for their behavior on the roads,how to teach safety effectively,how road safety issues can be incorporated into current current school topics,and an introduction to available teaching materials;

7)introduce community education initiativesTo ensure road safety messages reach children who are unable to attend school on a regular basis and to educate parents and older generations,communiti education programs should include RSE.(Once schools are all teaching road safety,RSE can be expanded to involve NGOs for supplemental support).

(Source---asian development bank Road safety guidelines for the Asian and Pacific Region)

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