April 2024

GRSP is Celebrating 25 Years

In 1998, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) recognized, in its World Disasters Report, road crash deaths and injuries as a human-made health crisis. The following year, the Global Road Safety Partnership (GRSP) was formed with a clear mission of working in partnership towards a sustainable reduction of road crash death and injury. This year, the GRSP celebrates 25 years of working towards our shared vision: a world free of road crash death and injury. 

Over the last two-and-a-half decades, GRSP has played a powerful role in advocacy at all levels. We provide training for road safety practitioners and enforcement agencies, and, through a global network of National Societies and partners, GRSP coordinates good practice road safety implementations engaging across all elements of the Safe System. 

One of the key aspects of GRSP’s success has been its ability to provide a platform to support and create multi-sector road safety collaborations engaged in front-line good practice in countries and communities throughout the world. An unwavering dedication to evidence-based interventions combined with extensive in-house expertise have been crucial in making GRSP an impactful actor and partner of choice. 

“We are immensely proud to reach this important milestone. A quarter of a century of meaningful activity is no small deed,” said Dave Cliff, GRSP CEO. Adding, “However, the job is far from done. With an ongoing increase in motorization, particularly the volume of powered two-wheelers and micro mobility, we must continue to build understanding of ‘evidence-based’ measures to reduce road trauma.  Sadly, too many initiatives are still based on ‘common sense’ rather than solid evidence as to what we know works to reduce serious crashes.”. 

To mark this milestone anniversary, the GRSP will produce an overview publication of our history over the last 25 years and will hold a range of events and workshops during which we shall celebrate our achievements and reaffirm our commitment to continuing our immensely important work. 

Improving Cycling Safety

Globally, each day, it’s estimated that 195 cyclists are killed and over 2,900 seriously injured in crashes. Cyclist deaths represent around six per cent of global crash fatalities. With that in mind, and given we need to encourage active transport modes such as cycling due to the known health benefits of increasing physical activity, it is critically important that we ensure cycling is safe. 

Several countries have introduced compulsory cycle helmet laws, often after tragic events have cast the spotlight onto the risks faced by un-helmeted riders. One such case was that of 12-year-old cyclist Aaron Oaten, who on one unremarkable day in April 1986, was knocked off his bike on a city street in New Zealand. With no helmet, Aaron’s head hit a concrete gutter. He was in a coma for eight months and when he awoke, he was paralyzed from the neck down, and could not speak.   

Aaron and Rebecca Oaten six years after the injury STUFF / MANAWATU-STANDARD

Aaron’s mother successfully campaigned for compulsory helmet laws in New Zealand because of her family’s tragedy. 

There are known actions that can be taken to make the roads safer for cyclists. Providing segregated cycle lanes and reducing speed limits to survivable 30 km/h maximums in areas where there is frequent interaction between motorized vehicles and cyclists are two sound examples, however cyclists can also take steps to improve their own safety. 

Case-control studies of cycle helmet effectiveness estimate reductions in head and brain injuries of between 85 and 88 per cent for cyclists wearing helmets compared to those without. 

By always wearing and correctly fastening a cycle helmet, made to a recognized international standard, cyclists can greatly reduce the chances of death or serious head injury in the event of a crash. Together with wearing a helmet, cyclists should give consideration to their own visibility, particularly at night. Cyclists should choose bright coloured helmets over darker colours, wear reflective clothing and use cycling lights to increase the ability of drivers and pedestrians to see them, thereby further decreasing the risk of a crash. 

The Global Road Safety Partnership (GRSP) recently put together a simple one page set of safe cycling tips for all cyclists to consider.

Dave Cliff ONZM MStJ
Chief Executive Officer

Moving Forward: Former GRLSC Alumni Fellow to Participate in Distinguished US-Based Programme

Estiara Ellizar, a former Global Road Safety Leadership Course (GRSLC) Alumni Fellow from Indonesia, is about to embark on a thrilling new chapter. She has been selected to participate in the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative Professional Fellows Programme (YSEALI PFP) starting in September, focusing on governance and society. The prestigious programme, funded by the U.S. Department of State, offers emerging leaders from Southeast Asia a chance to spend five to six weeks in the United States to gain valuable experience in numerous sectors. 

Estiara’s journey within YSEALI PFP began with a chance encounter during her GRSLC Alumni Fellowship in Baltimore back in 2022. She met someone who was participating in the YSEALI programme, and their stories about the enriching experiences offered by YSEALI ignited a spark within her. Inspired and motivated, Estiara decided to apply after graduating from the GRSLC in 2023. 

During the GRSLC Alumni Fellowship, she found inspiration during the alumni project showcase at the Bloomberg office, where participants learned about New York City’s Vision Zero initiative shared by the New York State Department of Transportation and New York City Police Department. Eager to contribute to similar efforts in her own country, Estiara highlighted Vision Zero in her YSEALI PFP application, proposing it as a focus for her reciprocal exchange project. 

Estiara hopes to be placed with a Department of Transportation in the U.S., preferably in New York City, to delve deeper into road safety policies and learn from the strategies employed there. She credits the GRSLC Alumni Fellowship programme for enhancing her leadership skills. Moreover, she expresses gratitude to GRSLC’s facilitators, like Natalie Draisin, who generously shared her expertise on Vision Zero, providing invaluable guidance for her upcoming YSEALI PFP journey. 

Saving Lives in Tonga: Wearing Seat-belts and Banning Use of Mobile Phones While Driving

In November 2019, the Global Road Safety Partnership (GRSP) provided its first road policing training programme in Fiji with the Pacific Islands Chiefs of Police for police agencies from across the Pacific.  

Elements of the training included the lifesaving benefits of vehicle passengers wearing seat-belts. Each year, it’s estimated that wearing seat-belts alone saves 100,000 lives and remains one of single largest life saving inventions ever introduced in vehicle safety. A second issue was the risk associated with mobile phone use while driving. Drivers who talk on phones, both hands-free and hand-held, are four times more likely to be in a crash resulting in injuries.  

After the training finished, Superintendent Lemoto Piliu, the head of road policing for Tonga Police, took on the challenge to save lives in Tonga and successfully advocated for the introduction of seat-belt use laws and a ban on the use of mobile phones while driving. 

As a consequence, in 2020 a new law was introduced in Tonga requiring drivers and all front seat passengers over 12 years old to wear seat-belts while driving and a ban on the use of mobile phones while driving was also put in place. 

In describing what occurred, Lemoto explained: “after returning home from Fiji in 2019, I formed a task force to develop a seat-belt campaign and one to ban the use of mobile phones while driving.  We visited different communities, spoke on radio programmes and successfully had new laws introduced.”. 

This serves as a powerful example of how police, armed with evidence as to what works to reduce road trauma, can successfully advocate to have new life saving laws introduced. The GRSP congratulates Lemoto for his achievement! 

Bengal Becomes First State to Adopt Scientific Approach for Management of Speed

The Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur (IITKg) has been a Global Road Safety Partnership (GRSP) grantee since 2019, with Professor Bhargab Maitra leading the project of developing speed management policy guidelines. Initially, it was planned that the policy guidelines would be developed at the national level and then adapted for the state level. A first draft of the national level speed management policy document was developed, first by carefully reviewing the global as well as current practices in India, and in consultation with officials and experts from different departments and institutions at the national level.   

With the imposed restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic, work at the national level was disrupted. In response, Prof. Maitra and his team changed strategy and started working in parallel at the state level in West Bengal, as it was easier to reach and consult with state stakeholders. Specific policy guidelines on speed management relevant for the State of West Bengal have been designed, based on the national document and the gaps in the existing practices of the state.   

Numerous in-person and online meetings were held with high-ranking officials from different departments of the government of West Bengal to gather suggestions and feedback. These include the Transport Department, West Bengal Police, Kolkata Police, Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority, Public Works Department, Education Department, Health and Family Welfare Department, among others. The draft document was also reviewed in multiple meetings convened by the State Lead Agency and the IITKg incorporating feedback from BIGRS partners and GRSP grantees.   

Rewardingly, the state government has taken complete ownership of the guidelines following approval by the State Road Safety Council. In the presence of high-level government officials, the transport minister launched the document and announced implementation in pilot areas. The announcement was widely covered by both print and digital media.     

While this is a significant policy achievement which will set the stage for the adoption of speed management guidelines in other states, it is also an excellent example of impact beyond the scope of the GRSP grant with the IITKg now working with the state government on a ‘Road Safety Vision Document & Action Plan’ for the state incorporating all the five pillars of the Safe System.