On the Road with ASIRT _______________________ Fall 2024

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Protecting Young People Across the Globe

Dear Friends,

Among the many devastating realities of the current world road safety crisis is the enormous toll that it takes upon our youth. The number of young people involved in road crashes is staggering. Road traffic injuries are the leading cause of death for children and young adults ages 5–29 worldwide. Every four minutes a child dies on a road; hundreds more experience life-altering injuries.

According to the latest data collected by the World Health Organization, 17 percent of the world’s youth are not protected by adequate child restraint laws that keep small children in the back seat and require restraints based on a child’s age, weight, and height. Many nations do not have laws requiring children to wear helmets while riding on motorcycles or bicycles. In many of the countries that have enacted these laws, enforcement is woefully lax. Drivers’ licenses can be illegally acquired or obtained by a young person with little or no driver training.

The safety of young pedestrians and of young people in school zones and on school buses is overlooked in many countries. Thousands of children are killed each year on their way to and from school. Students must walk long distances on the side of highly trafficked, dangerous roads with no sidewalks or pedestrian paths and must dodge speeding vehicles to cross these roads and reach their schools. Others are transported to school in unsafe buses or minivans or on overcrowded motorcycles. The road safety community painfully asserts that in many countries children are “dying to get an education.”

While the US Department of Transportation Progress Report on the National Roadway Safety Strategy indicates that the United States is “starting to bend the curve in a better direction,” an estimated 40,990 lives were lost in traffic crashes in 2023. While this marks a 3.6 percent decline from 2022, it is a 12.7% spike from pre-pandemic 2019. Deaths and injuries for pedestrians and bicyclists, two popular modes of transport for young people, remain high. Over 40% of the US infrastructure system on which our young people walk, drive, and ride remain in poor or mediocre condition according to the American Society of Civil Engineers. Here too, some progress has been made since the enactment of the Strategy, but progress remains frustratingly slow.

In the US, the fatal crash rate per miles driven for 16- to 19-year-olds is nearly three times the rate for drivers ages 20 and over, with the risk being the highest for ages 16 to 17, according to the Institute for Highway Safety. Thirteen percent of all passenger vehicle fatalities were passengers of teen drivers 13 to 19. Speeding, inexperience, overconfidence, poor hazard perception skills, fatigue, drink/drug driving, driving while distracted, failure to wear a seatbelt, cell phone use, and texting while driving have all been cited as factors leading to road crashes among the young. Drivers between the ages of 16 and 19 were speeding in 79 percent of single-vehicle crashes. A shocking 11 teens die from texting and driving every day. Of all the fatal crashes recorded in 2021, almost half of teen drivers aged 16-19 were found unrestrained.

We know what strategies work. By lowering speed, increasing the use of motorcycle and bike helmets, insisting on seat belt use, cracking down on drunk driving and reducing distraction, passing comprehensive laws and then backing them up with tough enforcement, restraining children in vehicles, improving children’s ability to see and be seen, enhancing road infrastructure, adapting vehicle design, and implementing graduated driver licensing, we can save millions of lives.

As parents or guardians of current and future drivers we can engage our children in serious and ongoing conversations about safe driving habits and expectations, be certain that they receive adequate driver training, become positive driver role models ourselves, create and enforce parent-teen driving agreements, and if necessary, consider telematics devices.

The youth of each country is its most precious and beloved resource. Let us work together to keep all young people safe on the roads of the world.

Warmly,

Rochelle Sobel

Founder and President

ASIRT

Tips for Pedestrians Traveling Abroad

• Be aware of traffic patterns and understand local road culture.
• Be especially careful when traveling in a country where vehicles drive on the opposite side of the road to which you are accustomed.
• Remember that the CURB DRILL (look right, look left, look right again) must be reversed in countries where the traffic pattern is reversed.
• Carry important information on paper and on your cell phone. Important travel information includes language tips, detailed local maps, public transportation schedules and locations, approved transportation companies, medical contacts, and US Embassy phone numbers. 
• It is often safer to cross an intersection with a group than alone, but do not rely on others to watch out for you.
• Use extra caution in countries with narrow, winding streets where visibility of pedestrians may be compromised.

Tips for Pedestrian Safety

• Follow the rules of the road and obey signs and signals.
• Walk on sidewalks whenever they are available. If there is no sidewalk, walk facing traffic and as far from oncoming traffic as possible.
• Cross streets at crosswalks or intersections. Look for cars in all directions.
• If a crosswalk or intersection is not available, locate a well-lit area where you have the best view of traffic. Wait for a gap in traffic that allows enough time to cross safely; continue watching for traffic as you cross.
• Watch for cars entering or exiting driveways or backing up in parking lots.
• Avoid alcohol and drugs when walking; they impair your abilities and your judgment.
• At night, wear or carry something reflective or carry a light so motorists will notice you.

Tips for Drivers

• Look out for pedestrians everywhere, at all times.
• Yield to pedestrians in crosswalks.
• Stop with enough space to allow other vehicles an opportunity to see the crossing pedestrians so they can stop.
• Learn unfamiliar traffic signs.
• Be aware of traffic lights and signs placed in unfamiliar or unexpected positions.
• Get into or out of a vehicle on the side nearest the sidewalk or edge of the road.
• Never drive under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs. 
• Be extra cautious when backing up and look for pedestrians.
• Follow the speed limit, especially around people on the street, in school zones, and in neighborhoods where children are present.

For sponsorship opportunities, please email gala@asirt.org or click here.

===RSR Fast Fact: Iceland

Robust systems are in place to alert drivers of changing road conditions, which extends to weather. Circumstances can change rapidly, and include geyser eruptions, glacial floods and white-out conditions. To help acclimate arriving travelers, road safety initiatives include the “Nap and Go” program to prevent fatigued and jet-lagged visitors from picking up rental cars and immediately driving upon arrival. Following long flights into the country, hotels and guesthouses close to the airport offer special rates to allow travelers the opportunity to grab a few hours of sleep before picking up their rental car and heading off to explore.

ASIRT offers Road Safety Reviews for more than 100 countries, including Iceland. If you are planning a trip, don’t leave without an ASIRT Road Safety Review for your destination country.

Update: ASIRT Road Safety Reviews (RSR)

Recent RSR updates include Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Croatia, Fiji, Ghana, Iceland, Madagascar, Norway, Panama, and Sweden.

Download free sample reports or subscribe or renew to access the RSRs. Subscribers may request RSRs for countries not included on the list of available reports. Contact asirt@asirt.org for more information.

The Edge

The Edge focuses on emerging road safety issues to create awareness, and where appropriate, the opportunity to advocate for and implement safe road practices.

“Sound of Silence” 2018 by R. Finch

One soon learned to cross cycle paths and road ways with great care, caution, hesitation and to listen for the ‘ping’ of a bell or a shout of warning to move away from a mobile hazard consisting of a person and bicycle weighing about 100 kgs+ (over 200 lbs) travelling toward you at speeds of approximately 5 to 15 kms per hour, about 2 seconds away from impact! Failure to move away in time would result in great hurt to you and others.

The situation has now become significantly worse globally with the introduction of Electric (EV) and Hybrid Vehicles, as evidence in the UK is indicating pedestrians are twice as likely to be hit by electric or hybrid cars than petrol or diesel cars. Read more.

ASIRT Advisory Board Member Richard Finch had a global career in the military, the oil and gas industry, and then his own logistics consultancy business supporting operations in remote environmentally sensitive areas. He is now retired.

Source: Information prepared by Richard Finch

Note: Data may vary by countries and reporting organizations which include World Health Organization (WHO) Global Status Report on Road Safety 2023, Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development’s International Transport Forum, World Bank Road Safety data, and European Commission’s CARE (EU Road Accidents Database).

Travel Snapshot

Norway: Made for Travel

By Debra Bokur

I love to be behind the wheel. For several years during my career as a journalist, I test-drove vehicles from major auto brands to see how they handled under various road conditions and reviewed those experiences for an assortment of magazines. While being stuck in city traffic is never fun, I’m in my element when the roads wind through mountains or along remote, dramatic coasts.

That said, I most enjoy driving when the surfaces beneath my wheels are well-maintained, clearly signed, and well-lit — and there’s a sense that other motorists are paying attention to traffic rules. Since international travel is a significant aspect of my professional life, I’ve learned in real time that not all of the world’s road systems are in good shape, not all drivers respect safety rules, and not every public transportation system is efficient or well-run.

In Norway, all those components come together in a positive way to provide an outstanding experience — as evidenced by the most recent numbers compiled by the World Health Organization. Read more.

Debra Bokur has been ASIRT’s Global Researcher and Writer for more than a decade. Her career has encompassed roles as the travel editor at several national publications, and she remains a regular contributor to Global Traveler Magazine and other outlets. She’s the author of the Hawaii-based Dark Paradise Mysteries series (Kensington Books). Follow Debra at Detours from Wonderland on Substack and on Instagram at @debrabokur. 

Mark Your Calendar

World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims (WDR) is a global event that takes place the third Sunday of every November to commemorate the millions of people who have been killed or injured in crashes on the world’s roads. This year's event, which will be held on November 17, 2024, is also meant to acknowledge the challenges and pain of families and caretakers of victims, as well as to recognize the efforts of rescue workers, police, and medical professionals who deal with the victims of road crashes.

Road Safety in the News

Become familiar with ASIRT's four steps for risk managers and administrators to prepare travelers to safely navigate global road travel here. (Campus Safety)

As cars and trucks get bigger and taller, lawmakers look to protect pedestrians. Learn more. (NPR.com)

See the top 10 technologies making cars safer than ever. (MSN.com)

Read about how global road death and injuries cost $3.6 trillion annually, equivalent to more than 3% of global GDP. (ITS International)

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