International Road Safety Academy Presentation
Every 4 seconds an accident occurs. Every 48 minutes a loved one, a brother, a father, or a friend is killed in a road crash, somewhere in the world.
Of all modes of transport, transport by road is the most dangerous and the most costly in terms of human lives. Every year 1.2 million people are killed and up to 50 million are injured and disabled as a result of road traffic crashes, worldwide. Over 75% of these casualties occur in developing countries and countries in transition, although these countries account for only 32% of motor vehicles. Severe collisions are very likely to increase in number as motorization increases by 10 – 15 % annually, unless all stakeholders act together to stop this negative development. It has been estimated that in developing countries at least 6 million more will die and 60 million will suffer injuries during the next 10 years unless immediate action is taken and all stakeholders act together to stop this dramatic evolution.
Globally traffic is already death cause number one for young people between 16 and 24 years of age and death cause number two for the category 15 – 44 years. According to the figures of the WHO, traffic will become death cause number three in the world within 15 years, while aids will drop to the ninth place on the list of death causes. Economical losses caused by collisions amount to US$ 500 billion world-wide. For the developing countries and countries in transition, the economic loss is estimated to be close to 1.5 – 2% of GDP, nearly US$ 100 billion; almost double all overseas development assistance. These huge economic losses inhibit economic development and perpetuate poverty.
While a number of countries have managed to decrease their rates of road traffic crashes, in many others – particularly in low- and middle-income countries – these rates are increasing.
This worldwide crisis can be efficiently addressed only if all stakeholders act together to stop this negative development; on this background, our international organization was formed.
The International Road Safety Academy
International Road Safety Academy Association (IRSA) was established in 2004 at the initiative of the Institute of Traffic Care (ITC) The Netherlands (accredited to the United Nations with ECOSOC Roster consultative status) that, together with international organizations and partners, has developed and implemented strategies aiming at preventing road injuries worldwide.
Quality
Initially, IRSA disseminates its knowledge through train-the-trainer programs in all fields of road safety, with a particular attention on improving the role of traffic policing, the handling of collisions, post-trauma care, and traffic management. The governmental agencies and first responders’ agencies (police, paramedics and fire fighters) are educated by the highest qualified road safety experts from around the globe.
Moreover, IRSA concentrates on offering and developing M.Sc.- and Ph.D.- programmes on Road Safety at Universities all over the world. Through this we try to stimulate the conduction of reliable, innovative and comparative research on one hand, and to equip the local policy makers of the future with the highest quality of knowledge and best practice on the other hand. To develop programs that are being appreciated and valued as decisive throughout the world, IRSA fosters relationships with all relevant stakeholders.
Sustainability
With the goal of adapting all acquired road safety knowledge in the local context, IRSA – Association establishes Academies in all countries where it is active. These centres of action are independent and, due to agreements with government, private sector and police, self-funded. The independent status of these centres enables them to form a stable bridge between divergent parties, and to constantly push these parties to get things done according to a methodical strategy.
Impact
Complementary to a high quality of knowledge and an effective organizational structure, modern technology offers unique opportunities to reduce the number of victims on the road. IRSA – Association closely works together with cutting-edge technology companies in order to extend and implement practical solutions.
For a greater impact of our programs, trainings and road safety awareness campaigns IRSA joined the European Road Safety Charter, one of the main European Commission initiatives to reach the overall objective of halving the number of road fatalities by 2010 as set in the White Paper on transport policy in 2001. IRSA – Association is the first organisation in the Netherlands that commits itself, through all its Regional Centres throughout Europe, to share the responsibility of “halving the number of road accident victims in the EU until 2010”.
The main goal of the IRSA – Association is to improve worldwide road safety with a focus on developing countries. Our approach is successful due to extensive attention to optimizing Quality, Sustainability and Impact. With our methods of knowledge development- and dissemination through train-the-trainer programs and Master & Ph.D. – studies, we strive to provide the needy countries with the highest Quality. To guarantee that this knowledge will not vaporize but will be used in a self-reinforcing Sustainable system, we establish regional centres of action around the world. These local Academies can put the knowledge in practice by the cooperation with our global high-class technology partners, and create a huge Impact on society by keeping so many people alive and out of the hospital.
Every 4 seconds a crash occurs. Every 48 minutes a loved one, a brother, a father, or a friend is killed in a road crash, somewhere in the world.
1.26 million people are killed and up to 50 million are injured and disabled each year as a result of road traffic crashes, worldwide. Over 75% of these casualties occur in developing countries and countries in transition, although these countries account for only 32% of motor vehicles.
IRSA brings stakeholders together to stop this road carnage.
A part of the IRSA Family:
