ASEAN
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is a geo-political and economic organisation of 10 countries located in Southeast Asia, including Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Viet Nam, Laos, Myanmar Brunei and Cambodia. Papua New Guinea has observer status. ASEAN’s aims include the acceleration of economic growth, social progress, cultural development among its members, and the promotion of regional peace.
In 2005, the group had a combined GDP (PPP) of about USD$884 billion, growing at an average rate of around 4% per annum, and an estimated population of 558,812,200.
The ASEAN countries were chosen as the first GRSI region. A comprehensive road safety programme undertaken by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) starting in 2003 created a solid framework that GRSI could build upon. The ASEAN Regional Road Safety Program was undertaken upon request of the ASEAN Transport Ministers. The Program led to the development of national road safety action plans, a targeted regional road safety strategy and action plan and a vibrant network across many sectors and disciplines in the region.
Related project summaries
Road Safety in ASEANProjects |
Facts
Road Safety Situation in ASEAN
According to a study by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in 2004, road crashes killed more than 75,000 people in the ten ASEAN countries and around 4.7 million were injured. In addition, it is estimated that annually 25 million people are directly affected by road trauma and the resultant economic hardship.
Motorisation is increasing significantly within ASEAN as an outcome of economic growth. The number of registered motor vehicles continues to escalate, especially motorcycles. This type of vehicle is the most popular within the region due to its relatively low cost and suitability to the environment. In some ASEAN countries, the number of motorcycles represents approximately 95% of the overall vehicle fleet.
It is estimated that 310,000 lives were lost and about 20 million were injured on the region’s roads over the last five years. The cost in economic terms is huge, approximately USD $15 billion or equivalent to 2.23% of ASEAN gross domestic product annually.
Studies reveal there has been a lack of attention and commitment to road safety by decision makers often leading to insufficient road safety management and leadership. Most countries in the region also suffer from low-levels of road safety knowledge and awareness, unsafe vehicles and road conditions, inadequate legislation and enforcement. These all contribute to the poor road safety performance.
GRSI and ASEAN Focus
GRSP through its GRSI programme is currently assisting countries in the ASEAN region to tackle the high level of trauma stemming from motorcycle crashes by helping governments and road safety stakeholders deliver a series of workshops and demonstration projects to facilitate the take-up of good and effective road safety practice targeting the use of helmets. These efforts are strengthening institutional capacities in the region to manage road safety and pushing the issue higher up the political agenda. GRSP’s programme under GRSI funding focuses on the key risk factors identified in the World report on road traffic injury prevention (WHO/World Bank, 2004), one of which is helmet usage.
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Projects
Road Systems Management
Helmet Workshops
The good practice manual “Helmets: a road safety manual for decision-makers and practitioners” was published in late August 2006 as a part of the UN Global Road Safety Collaboration and under the leadership of the World Health Organization (WHO) and has served as the basis for a series of workshops to develop national helmet wearing strategies in the region.
Helmet wearing workshops
In 2006/2007, GRSP played a central role in the organisation and delivery of national Helmet Wearing Workshops in the ASEAN region as part of its GRSI programme. Because of the high proportion of motorcycle victims in road crashes in many countries of the region, regional stakeholders agreed that increasing helmet wearing rates is critical to reducing the number of road crash related deaths and injuries in the region. The first helmet workshop took place in Thailand in late August 2006 and this was followed by workshops in Laos, (November) and Viet Nam (December). The programme continues in 2007 with workshops in Cambodia (May), Indonesia (July) Malaysia (August).
The interactive workshops provide local decision-makers with guidance in understanding the scope of the head injury problem in their country and in identifying priority actions to increase helmet wearing rates. The workshop content is based on the road safety good practice manual Helmets: a road safety manual for decision- makers and practitioners, published in August 2006 by WHO as part of the UN Collaboration on Road Safety manual series.
During the workshops a wide range of actions are identified for inclusion in national action plans. The main areas are legislation and standards, enforcement, education, management approaches and capacity building. Helmet wearing rates are typically much higher in the main city areas and are markedly lower in rural areas.
Motorcycle Helmet Assessment Studies
A key part of the workshop process will be the assessment of each country’s performance with respect to motorcycle helmets. Data on helmet wearing standards and legislation, the types and quality of helmets in use, helmet wearing levels and practice and motorcycle crashes and rider and passenger injuries is to be collected and made available to the workshop participants. GRSP is commissioning a helmet study in each of the countries participating in the GRSI helmet programme.
Regional Road Safety Training Needs Assessment
A detailed study to determine the immediate and long-term training needs of key road safety personnel within each of the ASEAN countries was carried out in 2006 and the results are being used to determine programme priorities in the future. Responses reveal that motorcycles are the most commonly used vehicle in these countries and that their numbers are rapidly increasing. The survey also shows that there is demand for expertise to assist relevant agencies/organisations tackle the issue in a more systematic and effective manner.
Project identification
In the follow-up to the workshops, GRSP is assisting participating governments identify projects that GRSP through its GRSI programme can assist in implementing. Typically these projects concern improving rural helmet use and improving the capacity of key agencies to better implement road safety programmes.
Consequently GRSP is now developing curriculum for training traffic police and conducting effective public education campaigns. It is expected that these capacity building programmes will be delivered in the ASEAN countries and more widely in other parts of the world. The helmet wearing workshop approach developed by GRSP in ASEAN is being adapted for use in other areas of the world where poor motorcyclist helmet wearing rates exist.