The Asia-Pacific region is one of the regions most affected by road traffic deaths and injuries. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 28% of all road traffic deaths worldwide occur in South-East Asia and 25% in the Western Pacific. This is due to the rapid motorization of many low- and middle-income countries over the past 20-30 years, as well as the increasing use of two- and three-wheeled vehicles.
Motorcycles account for almost 70% of the national vehicle fleet in countries such as India, Indonesia, the Philippines and China. However, the lack of systematic implementation of existing international safety standards has led to a huge increase in deaths and injuries. Motorcyclists and other two- and three-wheeler riders account for 30% of the 1.19 million road traffic deaths worldwide each year. In Malaysia, for example, almost 65% of road traffic accident victims are motorcyclists.
While traditional approaches such as helmet regulations and anti-lock braking systems (ABS) for motorcycles have proven effective, road safety experts are now exploring the role of innovative technologies in improving vehicle and road safety in the region.
In a joint effort to improve road safety and to illustrate how the UN regional commissions are working together to support member States in halving road deaths and injuries by 2030, UNECE and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) organized Road Safety Week in Bangkok from 2 to 5 June. The event brought together more than 260 different stakeholders from 45 countries in Africa, Asia, the Americas, Europe and Oceania to raise awareness of the importance of road safety policies, deepen knowledge and understanding of the UNECE road safety conventions, and promote dialogue and cooperation to strengthen efforts to create safer road transport systems.
To promote synergies and collaboration, and to consolidate road safety as a priority, several intergovernmental bodies and organizations met in succession during Road Safety Week: the United Nations Road Safety Fund (UNRSF), the UNECE Global Road Safety Forum (WP.1) and the Working Group on Automated/Autonomous and Connected Vehicles (GRVA), as well as the Working Group on Asian Highways and the Expert Group on Progress, Partnerships and Roadmaps for Road Safety.
The publication of the 2024 Annual Report, organized by the United Nations Road Safety Fund (UNRSF), hosted by the UNECE, provided an opportunity to call on donors and partners from the private and public sectors to increase investment and engagement. The Fund’s impactful portfolio of projects (52 projects in 94 countries) and clear results achieved on the ground have demonstrated its potential to promote innovative solutions to improve road safety worldwide. To this end, UNSRF has also organized a high-level dialogue with private sector and government leaders to address the motorcycle safety crisis and expand opportunities for innovative solutions. At its Chonburi facility in Thailand, global automotive safety leader Autoliv distributed 3,500 UN-compliant helmets to its employees who commute by motorcycle, in support of the UN Special Envoy for Road Safety’s Initiative on Safe and Affordable Helmets. Participants at Road Safety Week in Bangkok highlighted the importance of international cooperation and engaged in capacity-building to promote the use of existing tools already in place in some developed countries in the Asia-Pacific region. They stressed that a sound legal framework saves lives. The UN legal instruments on road safety held by the UNECE, such as the 1949 and 1968 Conventions on Road Traffic and Road Signs, and the 1958, 1997 and 1998 Global Vehicle Regulations, remain important tools for harmonizing national legislation, ensuring consistency across borders and protecting all road users.
As new technologies transform road safety, regulations must keep pace. From automated driving (ASD) systems to connected vehicles and cybersecurity, new technologies are rapidly changing our understanding of safety. In this sense, the active participation of both governments and industry is crucial to ensure that road safety regulations evolve in line with needs and realities on the ground, said UNECE Deputy Executive Secretary Dm in his opening remarks. To this end, the UNECE GRVA brought together 150 experts from Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe and Oceania to work together to develop a regulatory framework and provide technological solutions to mitigate the ongoing road safety crisis, with a particular focus on reducing road deaths and injuries in low- and middle-income countries.
As the work on automation requires the participation of experts beyond traditional safety expertise, including road safety experts, Road Safety Week provided a unique opportunity to bring together the road safety community and the automotive industry. GRVA organized a technology demonstration featuring over 20 vehicles from Chinese and European automakers, with a focus on automation and other life-saving technologies.