EIGHT LIBERIANS RECEIVE ROAD SAFETY AUDIT TRAINING FROM THE INTERNATIONAL ROAD FEDERATION GLOBAL IN WASHINGTON, D.C
Road Safety Action International (RSAI), a for-impact institution dedicated to promoting and enhancing road safety in Liberia, in partnership with the International Road Federation Global (IRF Global) in the United States, is currently training eight Liberians in Road Safety Audit (RSA). The month-long training, currently ongoing at the IRF Global headquarters in Washington, D.C., aims to certify, for the first time, these Liberians, who are drawn from across sector ministries, agencies, and civil society, to be licensed as road safety audit practitioners.
Road safety is a global public health and developmental issue. This is particularly alarming in developing countries like Liberia, which was ranked 4th globally in 2020 by the World Health Organization (WHO) for high road traffic death rates, with 55.89 fatalities per 100,000 population. This makes Liberia one of the most dangerous countries in the region for road users. Furthermore, the economic impact is significant, posing challenges to the government's developmental agenda. The World Bank's 2022 report on the Impact Evaluation of Road Safety Initiatives in Liberia revealed a substantial 7% loss of the country's GDP, amounting to approximately $246 million, due to road traffic fatalities and injuries.
In response to these challenges, national institutions leading the charge in road infrastructure development, as well as a leading non-profit institution, Road Safety Action International, are sponsoring participants in this dedicated road safety audit training. The training will equip participants with advanced and practical knowledge to conduct effective road safety audits. The participating institutions, including the Ministry of Transport, the Ministry of Public Works, the National Road Fund, and Road Safety Action International, have all agreed on the profound impact of developing a comprehensive national road safety audit process for the Liberian road system and believe that this training serves as a stepping stone to kick-starting the national road safety audit.
The collaborating institutions emphasized that a safe road environment is a critical component of the infrastructure under construction. Therefore, it is prudent to fully train selected employees of these institutions in conducting road safety audits, thereby enhancing their efforts to ensure safer road infrastructure in Liberia.
RSAI, as a road safety institution, is constantly advocating for a safe road in Liberia. It has highlighted the alarming rate of fatalities and injuries in Liberia and stressed that acquiring in-depth knowledge applicable to the local context is essential to improving the road environment. Consequently, RSAI is pleased to have partnered with the International Road Federation (IRF Global) to deliver this specially tailored road safety audit training for Liberia's road professionals.