Transcript Road Safety Initiatives in Nepal
Road Safety Initiatives in Nepal
Milan Dharel Swatantrata Abhiyan Nepal
The Cruel Numbers Problems of Road Safety
World Health Organization (WHO) ,
every year more than 1.3 million people die and another 50 millions are injured
in road accidents around the world. Road traffic injuries are the leading cause of death among young people, aged 15–29 years. Nearly
1000 young people under the age of 25 die every day on the world's roads
About
70 percent of the death occurs in developing countries
. Over 90% of the world's fatalities on the roads occur in low income and middle-income countries, even though these countries have less than half of the world's vehicles
The Cruel Numbers Problems of Road Safety
65 percent of deaths involve pedestrians and
35 percent of pedestrian deaths are children.
Almost 270 thousand Pedestrians death every year and
Over 10 million are crippled or injured each year.
The majority of road crash victims – injuries and fatalities – in developing countries are not the motorized vehicle occupants but pedestrians, motorcyclists, bicyclists and non motorized vehicle (NMV) occupants. The upsurge in the number of vehicles per inhabitant will result in
80% increase in injury mortality rates between 2000 and 2020
The Cruel Numbers Problems of Road Safety
Without action, road traffic crashes are predicted to result in the deaths of around 1.9 million people annually by 2020. It has been predicted that by 2020, road traffic injuries will rank as high as third among causes of disability adjusted life years (DALYs) lost Only 15% of countries have comprehensive laws relating to five key risk factors: speeding, drinking and driving, and the use of motorcycle helmets, seat-belts and child restraints.
Nepal recorded54,010 tragic road accident In past ten years and last year alone 11,747 accidents killed1,734 people with other thousands of injuries and loss of properties creating fear among general people about road usage .
The Cruel Numbers Problems of Road Safety
Among them 35 percent are between 16-35 years population, loss of such economically active population ultimately affects the economy of family and nation.
According to the latest WHO data published in April 2011,
Road Traffic Accidents Deaths in Nepal reached 2,527 or 1.70% of total deaths
. According to the traffic police data,
on average seven to eight people are killed in road accidents every day in Nepal
The Reasons
The Main Factors resulting in Unsafe Roads are:
Drivers’ Factors- 57 percent Roadway Factors- 3 Percent Vehicle Factors- 2 Percent Combination of Roadways and Drivers’ Factor – 27 Percent Combination of Vehicle and Drivers’ Factor- 6 Percent Combined Roadway, Driver, and Vehicle Factor- 3 percent Roadway and Vehicle Factor- 1 percent
Source: Lum and Reagan (2010)
Concern of Road Safety
Development Concern Health Hazards for the Population Economic Loss for the State Unsafe Population Social Conflict Corruption and Impunity Sports and Tourism Concern Civic Duties Human Rights Concern Inherent Right to Life Right to adequate standard of health Right to Development Right to Justice Rights of Person with Disability Right of Children
Global Road Safety Initiatives
2003
: London Conference by FIA Foundation calls for UN Action with WHO World Report on Road Injury Prevention Published by WHO-World Bank
2004
: World Health Day for Road Safety Launched UN Road Safety Collaboration Established
2005
: World Banks’ Global Road Safety Funding Mechanism established
2006
: First
Make Road Safe
Report by Lord Robertsons’ Commission for Global Road Safety
2007
: -First UN Global Road Safety Launched. Russian Federation Offers to host Ministerial Conference
Global Road Safety Initiatives
2008
:- Michelle Yeoh supports Make Road Safe Campaign as Global Ambassador
2009
:- Multilateral Development Banks announce joint road safety initiative
2010
:- UN General Assembly approves Decade of Action and first Global target for fatality reduction.
2011
:- Global Plan for the decade prepared by UN road safety collaboration. Decade of Action launched with more than 400 events in over 100 countries
2012
:- UN General Assembly resolution welcomes Global Plan Rio+20 summit recognizes road safety as development issue
Five Pillars of Road Safety
Initiatives in Nepal
State Initiatives : Road Safety Strategy, Road Safety Audit, Law and Policies, Deployment of Mechanisms, Trauma Centers Non State Initiatives: Since 2010 NASA is working on road safety through it ’s sports action Since the beginning of 2013 NASA together with Swatantrata Abhiyan and Road Safety Forum has launched Youth for Road Safety Campaign Youth Targeted Behavioral Change Initiatives Policy Advocacy National Strategy Advocacy Media Partnership Partnership with Corporate Sector Partnership with Educational Institutions
Initiatives in Nepal
Nepal Govt. is found not silent in road safety, since 1995 the initiatives are on, but not known widely.
Nepal Govt. has mechanisms responsible for road safety, but hardly active in response to promoting safer road Road Safety Action is considered as Traffic Action, thus become punitive, legalistic rather than a social change action Civil Society Initiatives are also not strong enough as mainly focused on events, fragmented action.
Lack of coordination, comprehensiveness and isolation of action are main issues.
Steps Ahead
So What Next Steps: Formation of National Working Group on Road Safety representing all segments of actors Formulation/Revision of National Road Safety action Strategy Multi-sector engagement and accountability on road safety Promotion of Corporate Social Responsibility, Sports, Media including film, drama and arts and culture, Tourism sector Review and widely publicize the law and policies related to road safety Promote safer road usage behaviors among general people, specially youths.
Initiate Road Safety Monitoring through establishment of databank, media observation and national road safety status report Adopt UN resolution on road safety decade of action
We Can Save Lives
In coming decade as many as 5-million lives could be saved
50-million serious injuries prevented
if road safety programmes are implemented worldwide