Improving Road Safety in Developing Countries: Opportunities for U.S. Cooperation and Engagement, Workshop Summary -- Special Report 287 (2006)

Traffic Safety in Less Developed Countries

SUSAN GALLAGHER

Education Development Center, Inc.

The goal of the interviews is to compile an inventory of the U.S. government’s interests and activities related to road traffic safety in less developed countries and to determine what actions or events would be required to cause agencies to become more involved. A number of federal agencies are being interviewed. We hope that you will participate so that we can gather accurate and representative data from your agency. Data will be compiled and a summary grid created for presentation to a National Academies workshop in January. A report will be written after the workshop and include comments generated by workshop participants.

The results are not confidential as we need to include a list of agencies contacted and a list of the individuals to whom we spoke. However, you will not be quoted verbatim. Judgments and conclusions in the written report prepared after the workshop will be the responsibility of the National Academies.

1. Does the agency have interests in traffic safety in less developed countries, for example, road user behavior, the vehicle, the roadway, regulation, enforcement, education, data collection, or research?

1. Does traffic safety in less developed countries have a relationship to the programs or mission of your agency? If yes, what is the basis and nature of the interest? For example,

   • A statutory responsibility to provide technical assistance, education, or training to foreign countries.

   • Concern for protecting agency personnel abroad.

   • Responsibility to promote trade through harmonization of standards.

   • Effects on economies (e.g., tourism, global businesses).

   • Improved law enforcement and justice administration in other countries (e.g., to combat international crime).

   • Collection and improvement of data on traffic problems and injuries.

3. Does the agency currently have activities or programs related to traffic safety in less developed countries?

   If yes, what are the nature and objectives of the activities? For example, do the activities deal with any of the following aspects of the road transportation and emergency response systems in less developed countries:

   • Drivers, passengers, and pedestrians: training, licensing, regulation, enforcement, public education.

   • Vehicles: standards, inspections, design features.

   • Roadways: standards, facilities, traffic management, speed limits, road design, emergency response, medical services, trauma care, disability prevention.

   • Information systems: injury, crash, and traffic database development and applications.

   • Workforce and institutional capacity building: professional training, exchange programs.

   • Institutional environment: legal liability, insurance, law enforcement.

   • Land use policies.

   • Mass transit: buses, subways.

4. Has the agency done anything else to encourage the improvement of traffic safety in less developed countries?

5. Has there been any change in agency activities about road traffic safety in less developed countries since World Health Day, April 7, 2004, devoted to global road safety?

6. Have any partner organizations approached or worked with your agency to improve road traffic safety in less developed countries?

7. Has the agency published research or articles relevant to road traffic safety in less developed countries?

8. Does the agency have a grants program specific to road traffic safety for less developed countries?

   If yes, can researchers from less developed countries apply for grants for their country on road traffic safety?

9. Does your agency support U.S. researchers in less developed countries?

10. Does your agency host visitors from less developed countries on matters relating to road traffic safety, for example delegations or fellowships?

11. In the past did the agency have activities dealing with road safety in less developed countries that are no longer carried on?

12. What are approximate expenditures and staffing levels (FTEs) for current road traffic safety activities in less developed countries?

13. Are there other resources (human, knowledge, financial, in-kind) the agency has that might be applied to this problem?

14. If more resources were available to devote to improving traffic safety in less developed countries, how would you use it?

15. What is your assessment of the agency’s activities related to traffic safety in less developed countries? For example:

    • Internal strengths (e.g., depth of expertise, experience working with less developed countries, local data, etc.).

    • Areas for improvement.

    • External opportunities (e.g., to offer assistance to improve traffic safety).

    • External threats to increasing involvement in traffic safety.

16. What events or actions would be required to advance the issue of road traffic safety in less developed countries on the agency’s agenda?

17. In general, how does the agency identify and assess emerging international problems and global issues that may require attention and resources?

18. Does the agency have experience with related or analogous aid or cooperative programs in less developed countries that might be applicable to efforts to assist in the reduction of road traffic casualties?

19. Has the agency engaged in technical assistance to less developed countries on other topics?

20. In general, what are the forms of the agency’s programs of assistance or interaction with less developed countries on technical or health matters?

21. Does the agency work through international agencies or country to country?

22. How are less developed country needs identified and relationships established?

23. Does your agency have a separate action plan or a strategy for global road traffic safety?

    If yes, does it specifically include less developed countries?

    If yes, has the plan or strategy been implemented?

24. Has traffic safety been integrated within an overall action plan or global strategy for your agency?

    If yes, has the plan or strategy been implemented?

25. Are you familiar with

    • World Health Assembly Resolution on Road Safety and Health.

    • WHO World Report on Road Traffic Injury Prevention.

    • The Global Road Safety Crisis: We Should Do Much More—Task Force for Child Survival and Development.

    • UN resolution to improve global road safety.

    • World Health Day, April 7, 2004, devoted to global road safety.

    • UN General Assembly meeting on global road safety.

26. Is there anyone else in your agency or another agency that I should contact about road traffic safety in less developed countries?

Thank you for your time. If you think of anything else that might be important for the inventory of U S. government interests and activities related to road traffic safety, I can be reached at [telephone number and e-mail address].