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General Road Safety Issues

The Asia-Pacific Region accounts for almost half (around 0.5 million) of all estimated worldwide road accident deaths. The estimated economic loss in ADB's developing member countries (DMCs) is more than $35 billion annually. This is more than double the amount of annual foreign development aid they receive. Road accidents cost DMCs 1-3% of GDP annually. The trends of road traffic fatalities in the People's Republic of China (PRC) were 183% during the 1990s compared with 113% in Asia.

Because of the rapid economic growth in the PRC and the region, both public and private vehicle fleets are expected to continue to grow rapidly in the coming years, creating tremendous pressure on insufficient road infrastructure. Without effective action, traffic deaths in the PRC and other countries in Asia is expected to increase sharply within this decade.

Road accidents significantly inhibit economic and social development. They are associated with

• millions of premature deaths and injuries
• billions of dollars in medical costs
• strain in welfare service
• loss of productivity
• low economic growth
• poverty

Road safety has not been given high priority during the development of current infrastructure due to the need for basic services and lack of funds. There is a lack of integration of urban and rural roads with highway development programs.

This section will introduce several basic concepts and trends on the road safety situation.

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