The figures are telling. 1.3 million people are currently killed on the roads every year. If nothing is done, that figure will rise to 2.4 million by 2030. Road accidents are currently the ninth highest cause of death in the world; in 2030 they will be the fifth highest cause of death. They will kill more people than AIDS and cancer. Between now and 2015, traffic accidents could even become the leading cause of disability in children aged five years and over. And the problem is most acute in developing countries!

In developed countries, the number of road accident victims is steady. In developing countries, however, this figure is rising drastically. Industrialised Western countries own more than half of all motor vehicles in the world. However, according to WHO figures,
more than 90% of all road accidents happen in developing countries. “The road infrastructure is not generally adapted to the boom in mopeds and, to a lesser extent, cars,” explains Vincent Slypen, General Director of Handicap International.

“Vehicles are often nigh-on unroadworthy, taxis carry too many passengers, wearing crash helmets and seat belts is the exception and rules of the road and driving licences are practically non-existent. There are no pavements, the roads are in very bad condition, speed limits are not adhered to and there are many that drive under the influence.”

The problem in South-East Asia, in particular, is escalating. According to studies by WHO, by 2020 the number of road accident victims will have risen 144% compared to 2000. As such, in 2000, road safety became a key component of our activities in three
countries in the region: Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam. In these countries, we even treat more people with disabilities resulting from road accidents than those with disabilities caused by antipersonnel mines.

In this region, our expertise is recognised and we sometimes advise other countries. We are preparing, in particular, a project in Benin. “We are recognised worldwide as a key player” explains Philippe Martinez, Programme Director in Vietnam. “In 2009, staff  from our Vietnamese team were invited to speak at a WHO conference to share their experience in the area of first aid,” This expertise comes from our years of experience in anti-personnel mine projects. The strategies deployed are in fact the same: lobbying activities, database management, education, awareness-raising andmedical assistance. “Handicap International launched its first road safety project in Laos in 2000, following a study that revealed that the majority of hospitalised patients were road accident victims,” explains Luc Delneuville, Programme Director in Laos.

"In Cambodia, Handicap International has set up a database concerning road accident victims (RCVIS – Road Crash and Victim Information System). The exact number of deaths and injuries was in fact unknown. “It is a major achievement,” according to Jeroen Stol, the Programme Director in Cambodia. “Now that we have accurate data, we can more effectively lobby the authorities and other stakeholders. The idea is to eventually transfer this computerized system to other developing countries.”

“Road education is a crucial aspect of our road accident campaigns. In Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos we are developing, in cooperation with the Ministry of Education, a programme targeted at primary schools. There was no such course before we arrived. For example, we are teaching children how to cross the road. We also train teachers,” explains Jeroen Stol. “The key to success is often the setting up an initiative that combines road education in schools, intense public awareness campaigns and efforts to lobby authorities. Crash helmets are becoming an increasingly familiar sight in the rural landscape. Thanks to our campaigns, half of all motorcyclists in Cambodia now wear a crash helmet, a figure that has doubled in just six months. And since February 2009, all two-wheel drivers now wear helmets in Ho Chi Minh City, a Vietnamese city with several million inhabitants. We have ensured that wearing a crash helmet is now a legal requirement. Our campaigns, however, are not just national. We also implement local activities involving organisations working in the field. Such an approach is essential for bringing about a change in attitudes.”