A Guide to the Use of Penalties to Improve Road Safety

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This Guide provides information about different types of penalties that have been applied to traffic offences.
Penalties for traffic offences are a critical component of behaviour change techniques that have been used
extensively with the aim of encouraging road users to comply with traffic laws and to use the road system
safely. Having evidence-based legislation in place is important, but alone, it will not sufficiently deter illegal behaviours. Compliance with traffic laws can be achieved from the combined effects of legislation, increased
public awareness, enforcement, and penalties. This Guide focuses on the penalty component only.

This Guide describes ways in which a robust penalty system may be implemented and draws on international evidence to inform recommendations. It is important to note that there is no pre-defined way to easily determine how severe a penalty should be to deter people from committing a traffic offence. Different penalties are likely to impact people in different ways.

For example, a monetary fine might be meaningful and influential for someone with limited financial resources, yet may have no influence on the offending behaviour of someone who can easily afford to pay the monetary fine. Conversely, a person with greater financial means
may be influenced more effectively by receiving a demerit point penalty than a monetary fine.

How a road safety program & new ratings system for schools are saving young lives

Dive into the important work by two foundations to educate young children on road safety, and also improve the safety of the schools themselves.

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Road Safety Capacity Building Program

The Asia Pacific Road Safety Observatory (APRSO), will deliver a Road Safety Capacity Building Program to engage developing Asian country road safety staff and managers and technical practitioners and ADB staff in an immersive and targeted initiative to build capacity and understanding in the application of a safe system approach to road safety interventions.

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Guide for Determining Readiness for Speed Cameras and Other Automated Enforcement

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The Guide for Determining Readiness for Speed Cameras and Other Automated Enforcement is particularly designed to address the questions of many countries who are considering the introduction of a speed camera program, or similar automated system. These technologies are, on the whole, effective, but require extensive ground work to ensure their benefits - and many countries have not yet engaged in this ground work but are considering these systems.  

Questions a country must answer prior to implementing automated enforcement systems can include: are most vehicles registered? Do they have a readable identification/number/registration plate for the camera? Do records allow for the owner/driver to be contacted through their home address or mobile number?

For countries not yet prepared for automated enforcement systems, this guide sets out a path of development and lists the necessary areas of focus prior to the introduction of speed cameras. Like any system, it is important not to expect perfection from speed cameras or similar systems, only a reasonable level of performance.

Practical Road Safety Engineering Workshop, July to August 2020

In July and August 2020, a “Practical Road Safety Engineering” workshop was conducted online for Asian Development Bank (ADB) staff, highway engineers, Traffic Police and other professionals from road agencies representing 21 countries across Asia and the Pacific. Participants in the workshop were from countries as far apart as Tonga (in the east) and Azerbaijan (in the west). The program was organized and hosted by ADB, in cooperation with Road Safety International.

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Developing a Locally Owned and Led National or State iRAP Programme

Developing a Locally Owned and Led National or State iRAP Programme

Every day, more than 3,500 people die in road crashes worldwide; 100,000 or more are injured or disabled. Road trauma is a serious and ongoing public health crisis. Crash costs are typically 2-5% of national GDP each year, impacting every country on earth. In particular, this crisis affects developing countries, where 9 out of 10 road deaths occur.

The United Nations has included road safety as a Sustainable Development Goal (3.6) setting the challenge of halving the number of global deaths and injuries from road traffic crashes by 2020. In addition, the UN Global Road Safety Performance Targets include objective and achievable targets for all new roads to be built to a 3-star or better standard for all road users (Target 3), and more than 75% of travel is on the equivalent of 3-star or better roads for all road users by 2030 (Target 4).  iRAP believes that road death and injury is preventable and that the solutions exist. Improving the world’s roads to a 3-star or better standard for all road users is a key way to meet the UN targets in combination with action across all the established road safety pillars. Achieving >75% of travel on 3-star or better roads by 2030 will save an estimated 467,000 lives every year.

iRAP’s systematic approach can help save thousands of lives. It involves simple, affordable improvements to road infrastructure and speed management that can dramatically reduce both the risk of crashes occurring and their severity.

iRAP programmes can be easily integrated into existing or new road safety initiatives in a country:

  • Risk Maps provide a global standard to measure and benchmark historical crash performance and target action;
  • Star Ratings provide an objective, evidence-based global measure of the safety of infrastructure for pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists and vehicle occupants;
  • Safer Road Investment Plans can help shape an upgrade programme and Safer Roads Fund that will maximise lives saved per unit of investment; and
  • Policy and performance tracking tools provide agencies with the ability to measure and manage success.

This brochure is designed to help countries develop their own locally owned and led national or state programmes and develop and deliver projects that save lives.

iRAP is a member of the United Nations Road Safety Collaboration and Global Alliance of NGOs for Road Safety and works closely with the World Health Organisation, FIA Foundation, World Bank, International Transport Forum, PIARC, OECD and other road safety stakeholders to support and coordinate global action across all pillars of action on road safety.

The Ten Step Plan for Safer Road Infrastructure

The Ten Step Plan for Safer Road Infrastructure

The Ten Step Plan for Safer Road infrastructure has been produced by the United Nations Road Safety Collaboration partners to support countries seeking to implement initiatives in relation to the “Improved safety of road infrastructure and broader transport networks”, the UN Convention on Road Traffic and Road Signs and Signals and the achievement of UN Member States Agreed Global Targets 3 and 4 for safer new and existing roads.

Target 3 states that “by 2030, all new roads achieve technical standards for all road users that take into account road safety or achieve a three-star rating or better”.  Target 4 states that “by 2030, more than 75% of travel on existing roads is on roads that meet technical standards for all road users that take into account road safety.”

The Ten Step Plan for Safer Road Infrastructure will build the institutional capacity and regulatory framework to support these targets and unlock the potential of safer roads and safer cities to save lives.  With the support of UN agencies and the UN Road Safety Fund, countries can mobilise international partnerships and collaboration to ensure that no new high-risk, one or two-star roads are constructed, and existing roads and city streets are targeted in a cost-effective manner to maximise the amount of travel on roads that are safe for all pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists and vehicle occupants.

Transport and Communications Bulletin for Asia and the Pacific 89: Improving Road Safety

Transport and Communications Bulletin for Asia and the Pacific 89: Improving Road Safety

The Transport and Communication Bulletin for Asia and the Pacific is a peer-reviewed journal that is published once a year by the Transport Division of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP). The Bulletin is a medium in which knowledge, experience, ideas, policy options and information on the development of transport infrastructure and services in the Asia- Pacific region is shared. The main objectives to these are to stimulate policy-oriented research and to increase awareness on the policy issues and responses of the transportation industry. The Bulletin attempts to widen and deepen the debate on the issues of interest and concern in the transport sector.

Transport plays an integral part in the development of social and economic opportunities. It facilitates the movement of people, goods, labors, resources, product and ideas across regions. Different transport modes and services and the state of domestic and international connectivity can greatly influence the well-being of the people and their own environment. However, as the levels of motorization in Asia and the Pacific continue to increase, it also has resulted in an increase of traffic fatalities and injuries. At the rate of the growing epidemic of traffic accidents, the issue of road safety has become a global development agenda. Managing the transport sector can make a direct and indirect contribution towards the achievements of the SDGs if the three pillars of sustainable development – economic, social and environmental – are integrated into transport policies, planning and operation. Two SDGs targets are relevant to road safety -target 3.6 to halve the number of road fatalities and injuries by 2020 and target 11.2 to provide safe, accessible and affordable sustainable transport for all by 2030.

The current issue of the Bulletin focuses on the theme of “Improving Road Safety”. Each of the six papers contribute different interesting aspects of the theme, and include various approaches in improving road safety in a particular context.

Safely Connected: A Regional Road Safety Strategy for CAREC Countries, 2017-2030

Safely Connected: A Regional Road Safety Strategy for CAREC Countries, 2017-2030

Road accidents are the sixth leading cause of death in Central Asia., with a road traffic death rate of 10 to 25 per 100,000. A framework is needed for Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation (CAREC) member countries to effectively implement CAREC’s commitment to road safety. CAREC’s strategy envisions making its road corridors safe, efficient, and attractive to motorists. The target is to halve the number of CAREC road corridor fatalities by 2030—translating to 23,000 lives saved and 250,000 serious injuries prevented annually.

The strategy builds upon existing strengths within the region, addresses gaps, utilizes good practice, and mitigates risks. This publication embodies the CAREC countries’ commitment to make road safety a priority.