Laos

Country Summary

Road safety in Laos is emerging as a critical issue in the country. Annual vehicle growth rates are 20% on average and motorcycles constitute 82% of the vehicle fleet. In this context, the number of road crashes and casualties is increasing.  The Government of Laos reported that 765 people died in crashes in 2009, a six-fold increase since 1990.  The capital, Vientiane, suffers the heaviest burden with 165 road fatalities reported in 2008.  The fatality rate is at 8 per 10,000 vehicles and 10.6 per 100,000 inhabitants respectively.  As a result, according to an Asian Development Bank Study, road crashes and injuries cost the Lao economy USD 13 million per year in 2005, but is now estimated at closer to USD 110 million.

Helmet wearing is recognized as a key priority by the government.  Their statistics show that 84% of road crashes involve motorcycles and 89% of motorcycle crash fatalities are as a result of head trauma (United Nations Economic and Social Committee of the Asia Pacific, Lao PDR Country Report, 2010). Consequently, the Lao National Road Safety Committee (NRSC) developed a National Helmet Wearing Action Plan in 2007 with the support of the Global Road Safety Partnership. This plan defines a range of priority actions, particularly education and enforcement, from a multi-sector perspective on addressing the lack of helmet wearing among motorcycle riders in Laos. To date few helmet wearing promotion projects have been implemented.

Helmet wearing in Vientiane

In the capital city of Vientiane, there have been periodic campaigns by NGOs such as Handicap International Belgium, and the Ministry of Public Security has enforced the helmet law, but not in a sustainable fashion.  Consequently, only 59% of drivers and passengers combined are wearing helmets and has been steadily declining since the peak of 72% in October 2009.  These statistics do not take into account those that are not wearing helmets fitted correctly, in particular without the chinstrap fastened, which is estimated to be significant proportion. Without a chinstrap correctly fastened there is a high likelihood of the helmet coming off in a crash, and so making it ineffective in providing protection from a head injury.

In 2011 the Global Road Safety Partnership began planning a helmet wearing project with the NRSC for the capital city of Vientiane. The project is funded by the Global Road Safety Initiave and draws on best practice approaches developed using Helmets: A road safety manual for decision-makers and practitioners (World Health Organization 2006). The project will be based on similar successful and cost-effective work undertaken by the Global Road Safety Partnership in Cambodia and Thailand. Capacity-building will be a key focus in the project, especially through the training of police in effective enforcement methods. A social marketing campaign will support enhanced police enforcement. This project is being undertaken in partnership with ThaiHealth, which is a key health organization from Thailand. ThaiHealth are also supporting improvements in post-crash emergency response in Laos.