Data-driven discourse on Safe System approach in Africa
12–15 August 2025
Winneba, Ghana
Local organizers: Enoch F. Sam
The conference is organized in close co-operation with the Department of Georaphy Education, University of Education, Winneba.
About
Important dates
| Date | Action |
|---|---|
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14 March 2025 |
Abstract submission deadline |
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15 April 2025 |
Notification of acceptance |
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30 May 2025 |
Early Bird fee expiration |
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31 July 2025 |
Registration closed |
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12–13 August 2025 |
AfroSAFE traffic safety course |
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14–15 August 2025 |
2nd AfroSAFE conference |
Social media
AfroSAFE traffic safety course
In connection to the main conference event, AfroSAFE Academy organizes a two-day course on traffic safety. The course targets scholars active in research on traffic safety, as well as practitioners who want to get a solid understanding of the subject they are dealing with.
The purpose of the course is to provide a holistic view on traffic safety, particularly emphasizing the Safe System as the state-of-the-art approach to traffic safety management.
The course faculty are top-level experts in the domain if traffic safety, with years of experience doing own research, teaching the subject to students, and training young career researchers to be excellent in their profession.
Call
Road safety in high-income countries has improved significantly through data-led safe systems management approaches. However, low-and middle-income countries, including Africa, need help collecting and managing road crash data. About 80% of road crash deaths are missing from official low-income country statistics, limiting their capacity to monitor, effectively advocate for, manage, and efficiently improve road safety. This data gap is a significant hurdle these countries must overcome to improve their road safety records and outcomes.
Addressing Africa’s road safety crisis requires targeted and measured action, which can only be achieved with accurate data, underscoring the urgent need for improved data collection and management, a crucial step towards designing and implementing effective road safety policies leading to substantial reductions in road traffic fatalities. Without accurate and reliable road safety data, identifying patterns, making informed decisions, and implementing effective road safety policies become challenging. The collaborative nature of data collection and management is crucial. While different organisations collect road safety data, the lack of sharing often leads to duplication of effort and inconsistencies in the data. This underscores the importance of collective action and cooperation in improving road safety data management.
The conference aims to facilitate the exchange of knowledge and experiences between international and African road safety scientists, professionals, and policymakers and provide a platform for a joint discussion on the future of road safety on the continent.
Target audience
The conference targets the following groups:
- Researchers and academics working on traffic safety in Africa
- Road safety practitioners from government agencies, NGOs, and private sector organisations
- Policymakers involved in developing and implementing road safety strategies in Africa
- International development partners and stakeholders interested in African road safety.
Conference topics
We welcome papers on the following non-exhaustive sub-themes:
- Improved crash and safety-related data to support road safety analysis and policy development
- Safe system and vision zero within the African context
- Road safety management organisation and analysis of constraints
- Safety issues for specific groups of road users: pedestrians, cyclists, children, elderly, people with disabilities, etc.
- Interactions between road users, vehicles, and infrastructure
- Enforcement and education
- Professional drivers, road safety management in companies and the role of transport buyers
- Key road safety culture challenges and possibilities related to vulnerable road users
- Low-cost solutions for road safety improvement
- Transferability of road safety measures
- Innovative technologies to enhance traffic safety
- Safety aspects of urban and rural transport planning and sustainable mobility.
Presentations should be based on studies that aim to improve understanding of road users’ risks, behaviours, and responses to the road environment and traffic conditions in which they participate. Theoretical contributions related to these issues are also welcomed. A particular relevance for the African context is expected.
Submission
The submission system will open in November 2024.
The submission deadline has passed. No further submissions are possible.
The authors are asked to provide an extended abstract using the template. The abstract is limited to max 700 words, and it should contain the following parts:
- Background
- Aim
- Method or methodological issues
- Results
- Conclusions.
Submit your abstracts a *.pdf file.
The conference uses Oxford Abstracts platform to manage the submissions. If you have never used that system before, you will need to create an account prior to the submission. Otherwise, use your existing credentials to log in.
Submission deadline is 14 March 2025.
Registration
Sold out!!!
General information
The registration fees depend on the country that you represent.
The course fee covers participation of one person, access to the course materials, two coffee-breaks and a lunch.
The conference fee covers participation of one person, conference materials, coffee breaks and lunches, one entrance to the Welcome reception (Wednesday), and one seat at the Conference dinner (Thursday).
You registration is considered complete only after all the fees have been paid. Cancellation and reimbursement is not possible.
Some prices are provided in Tanzanian Shillings (TZS). Conversion rates can be found here.
Early Bird fees
The Early Bird fees expired on 26 April 2024.
|
Category A |
Category B |
Categories C & D |
Tanzanian participants |
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|---|---|---|---|---|
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Researcher’s course |
USD 240 |
USD 100 |
USD 60
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TZS 150 000 |
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Conference |
USD 400 |
USD 160 |
USD 110 |
TZS 270 000 |
Full fees
Full fees apply during 27 April–31 May 2024.
Starting from 1 June 2024, new registrations are no longer possible.
|
Category A |
Category B |
Categories C & D |
Tanzanian participants |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Researcher’s course |
USD 360 |
USD 150 |
USD 90 |
TZS 225 000 |
|
Conference |
USD 600 |
USD 240 |
USD 165 |
TZS 405 000 |
Country categories
AfroSAFE Academy relies on World Bank’s country classification by income. The country categories below are given as an indication, the most recent classification must be checked on the World Bank web page for the current year.
Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Bahrain, Barbados, Belgium, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Cayman Islands, Channel Islands, Chile, Croatia, Curaçao, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Faroe Islands, Finland, France, French Polynesia, Germany, Gibraltar, Greece, Greenland, Guam, Hong Kong SAR (China), Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Isle of Man, Israel, Italy, Japan, Korea (Rep.), Kuwait, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macao SAR (China), Malta, Monaco, Nauru, Netherlands, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Northern Mariana Islands, Norway, Oman, Panama, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Romania, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Seychelles, Singapore, Sint Maarten (Dutch part), Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Martin (French part), Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan (China), Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos Islands, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, Uruguay, Virgin Islands (U.S.)
Albania, American Samoa, Argentina, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belize, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Ecuador, Fiji, Gabon, Georgia, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Iraq, Jamaica, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Libya, Malaysia, Maldives, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Montenegro, Namibia, North Macedonia, Palau, Paraguay, Peru, Russian Federation, Serbia, South Africa, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Thailand, Tonga, Türkiye, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu
Angola, Algeria, Bangladesh, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Cabo Verde, Cambodia, Cameroon, Comoros, Congo (Rep.), Côte d’Ivoire, Djibouti, Egypt (Arab Rep.), El Salvador, Eswatini, Ghana, Haiti, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Iran (Islamic Rep.), Kenya, Kiribati, Kyrgyz Republic, Lao (PDR), Lebanon, Lesotho, Mauritania, Micronesia (Fed. Sts.), Mongolia, Morocco, Myanmar, Nepal, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Samoa, São Tomé and Principe, Senegal, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Tajikistan, Timor-Leste, Tunisia, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Vietnam, West Bank and Gaza, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Afghanistan, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo (Dem. Rep), Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Korea (Dem. People’s Rep.), Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Niger, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syrian Arab Republic, Togo, Uganda, Yemen (Rep.), Zambia
Accompanying persons
Tickets for an accompanying person(s) for the Welcome reception and the Conference dinner can be purchased at additional costs of USD 16 (TZS 40 000) and USD 32 (TZS 80 000) respectively. The accompanying persons may also join the social events (see the separate pricing above).
Please, write clearly how many people will join you at which activities in ‘Other comments to organizers’.
Social event
On Saturday, 15 June 2024, conference participants are invited to join the tour to Bagamoyo (see details in the Programme).
The cost is USD 50 (TZS 70 000). The price is calculated ‘per head’ regardless if it is a conference participant or an accompanying person (e.g. family members).
Special dietary requirements
Please be aware that the food served may contain or come into contact with common allergens, such as dairy, eggs, wheat, soybeans, tree nuts, peanuts, fish or shellfish.
There will be vegetarian alternatives served.
Invitation letters
In case you need an invitation letter (for your visa application or to get a travel permission from your employer), please contact the local organizers at afrosafeacademy@udsm.ac.tz.
Registration form
The registration will open after 20 March 2024.
Please, use the registration form (opens in a new window) to indicate which activities related to the conference you plan to join.
Note that your registration is complete only after all the fees have been paid and received by the organizers.
Payments
Payments are made by a bank transfer to the accounts indicated below. Indicate the delegate’s name in the bank transfers to facilitate the process.
Please send your proof of payment to afrosafeacademy@udsm.ac.tz.
International delegates (outside Tanzania)
International delegates pay the fees to the following account:
Receiver: University of Dar es Salaam
P.O. Box 35131
Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Bank Name: CRDB Bank PLC
Bank Address: 10138 DSM
Account Name: UDSM COET FOREX
Account Number: 0250692615800
Swift Code: CORUTZTZ
Currency: USD
Local delegates (within Tanzania)
Tanzanian delegates pay the fees to the following account:
Bank Name: CRDB Bank PLC
Bank Branch: Mlimani
Account Name: University of Dar es Salaam, Directorate of research and publication
Account Number: 01J1088967003
Swift Code: CORUTZTZ
Currency: TZS
Programme
Conference venue
The conference will take place in the premises of the University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM), College of Engineering and Technology.
The exact location will be communicated later.
12–13 August 2025
9:00–17:00 AfroSAFE traffic safety course
Target audience
The course is designed for traffic safety researchers and practitioners with connection to Africa. It is particularly suited for those who have already some experiences with the subject, but want to upgrade their knowledge with the state-of-the-art theories and tools.
Course objectives
The course aims to:
- provide an overview of the fundamental theories and concepts in traffic safety
- discuss key issues in traffic safety research and practice
- provide an opportunity for exchange of experience between researchers and practitioners from different disciplines and different parts of the world.
Schedule coming soon
19:00–21:00 Welcome reception
Schedule coming soon
9:00–9:20
Welcome and course intro
9:20–10:20
‘Institutional framework—why is it so difficult to introduce changes in traffic safety?’
Enoch F. Sam is an Associate Professor of Transport Geography at the University of Education, Winneba, Ghana. He has over ten years of experience in teaching and research in public transport safety management, traffic safety, traffic behaviour of vulnerable road users, and sustainable urban mobility. Prof Sam has won many research and academic awards and grants.
10:20–10:40
Coffee break
10:40–11:25
‘Safe System and traffic safety management’
Aliaksei Laureshyn is Associate Professor in traffic safety at Lund University, Sweden. His primary research interests deal with theory and practical use of pro-active methods in road safety analysis. Other research interests include emerging technologies for data collection in traffic, policy and practice in road safety work, particularly in the view of Vision Zero/Safe System paradigm.
11:25–12:10
‘Road safety data analytics and decision making’
Kofi Adanu is an assistant research professor at the University of Alabama, USA. He has an extensive experience in traffic safety data analytics. He employs various statistical and econometric modelling techniques to identify patterns and associations in crash data, leading to identification of contributing factors and development of robust countermeasures. His research also includes Intelligent Transportation Systems, sustainable transportation, and equity issues in transport.
12:10–13:10
Lunch
13:10–13:55
‘Designing traffic system for humans’
Jaqueline Masaki is a distinguished transportation engineer and lecturer at the University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, holding degrees from prestigious universities in Tanzania and the USA. Her work focuses on improving traffic safety and integrating technology in transportation systems. She has earned numerous awards, including the ‘Emerging Professional of the Year’ from Women in Transportation (USA).
13:55–14:40
‘Promoting safe behaviour through education, campaigns, enforcement’
Sonja Forward is a psychologist and a research leader at the Swedish Road and Transport Research Institute (VTI) focusing on traffic safety and sustainable transport. Her research covers many areas but mainly psychological factors predicting behaviour and how unwanted behaviour can be changed, using education or campaigns. The methods used are both quantitative and qualitative.
14:40–15:00
Coffee break
15:00–15:45
‘Safe infrastructure’
Thobias Sando is a Professor at the University of North Florida, USA. He teaches and conducts research in the area of transportation engineering. His interests include evaluating emerging technologies in transportation, economic appraisal of intelligent transportation systems, connected and autonomous vehicles, transit safety analysis, intermodal facility design, multi-modal operational analysis, and sustainability.
15:45–16:30
‘Safe vehicles’
Tejas Chandran is a research engineer at Autoliv Global Research based in Vårgårda, Sweden. An engineer by education, he works as a project leader for Autoliv Global Governmental Affairs function and as a researcher within Human Factors at Autoliv Research. His focus areas include road safety in low- and middle-income countries, safety culture, and road safety footprint.
16:30–17:00
Closing discussion
19:00–21:00 Welcome reception
14 August 2025
9:00–17:00 Conference, day 1
Keynote speech I. Data-driven road safety management in Ghana: Implications for the Safe system approach.
Francis Afukaar
(Ghana)
Ing. Francis Afukaar holds an MSc in Transportation Engineering and a B.Sc. in Civil Engineering, with over 30 years of experience in road safety, project coordination, and transport data analytics.
He is a registered member of the Ghana Institution of Engineering and the Road Traffic Injury Research Network (RTIRN). As Principal Investigator for numerous projects with the Ministry of Transport, National Road Safety Authority, and private entities, he specializes in road traffic crash investigations and safety improvements.
Ing. Afukaar led key DFID-funded ReCAP projects and is currently the Lead Investigator for Bloomberg Philanthropies’ road safety initiatives in Ghana. He is also experienced in training engineers, mentoring professionals, and managing donor-funded projects, with multiple peer-reviewed publications.
19:00–22:00 Conference dinner
15 August 2025
9:00–17:00 Conference, day 2
Keynote speech II. ‘Using IGLAD - International Harmonized In-Depth Accident Data to compare Traffic Accidents globally’
John-Fredrik Grönvall
Area Manager, Field data, Chalmers Industriteknik
(Sweden)
John-Fredrik Grönvall holds a managerial position at Chalmers Industriteknik , focusing on field data related to Traffic accidents and driving behaviour. He previously worked at Volvo Cars for over 20 years.
He served as the project manager at the Volvo Cars Traffic Accident Research Centre( TARC), in Thailand from 2003 to 2005. During this time, he developed the crash investigation methods for conducting in-depth investigations in Thailand. Additionally, he managed significant European-funded projects such as EuroFOT, DRIVEc2x , L3Pilot and HiDrive. In China, he represented Volvo Cars at the China In-depth Accident Study (CIDAS).
Currently, he manages Chalmers’s roles in the Euro-African Traffic research project (AfroSAFE), and the Swedish-Indian Traffic safety platform (SITIS).
16 August 2025
Social event (all day)
Bagamoyo is a historic coastal town, not far from Dar es-Salaam.
Presentation
Instructions for presenters
AfroSAFE Academy wants to promote questions and discussion after each oral presentation. Therefore please limit your presentation to 15 minutes, followed by 5 minutes for the discussion.
You can download the presentation template here. You may use other templates, for example created by your organization. The 16:9 aspect ratio is to be preferred.
Please, bring along your slides on a USB stick to the session. Be present ten minutes before your session starts and get in contact with the chairperson to make sure that your slides are uploaded and work well.
Instructions for chairpersons
Before conference
- Well in advance, have a look at the abstracts of your sessions (uploaded on the conference web page under Programme).
- Ask the presenters of your session for a short bio (two–three sentences) so that you can introduce them. Contact emails will be provided by the organizers.
Before your session
- Be present at the podium at least ten minutes before your session starts. Make sure that all speakers are present and their slides are uploaded on the presentation computer.
- Encourage the presenters to test the equipment—slides, pointer, microphone, etc.
- Make sure to receive the presenters’ participation certificates from the organizers.
During the session
- In the beginning, introduce yourself.
- Before each talk, introduce the speaker (using the short bio) and the title of the presentation.
- Each presenter will have 15 minutes speech time followed by 5 minutes of discussion (20 minutes in total). It is your responsibility to keep an eye on the timing. Warn the presenter 3 minutes before the end of the speech time. Be ruthless and cut off when 20 minutes are used up.
- Be prepared to ask at least one question yourself in case of awkward silence and no questions from the audience.
- After the presentation, thank the presenter and hand over the participation certificate.
Travel
Please note that all conference participants will need to cover their costs and make their own travel arrangements in Ghana.
Flying to Ghana
Kotoka International Airport (KIA) in Accra, the national capital city. The KIA airport was recognised as the ”Best Airport in Africa” for 2019, 2020, and 2021. Over 25 major airlines operate direct flights from Europe to KIA, including Brussels Airlines, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Turkish Airlines, Emirates Airlines, British Airways, Air France, Middle East Airlines, ITA Airways, and TAP Portugal. Other airlines with direct flights to KIA are Delta Airlines, United Airlines, Ethiopian Airlines, Egypt Air, South Africa Airways, RwandAir, Kenya Airways, Qatar Airways, Afriqiyah Airways, Royal Air Maroc, ASKY Airlines, and Air Cote D’Ivoire.
Getting to and from airport
The trip from the airport to the hotel and back should be self-arranged. You may decide to choose among the taxi services available outside the airport, Uber, Bolt, or a hotel shuttle service. Communicate directly with your hotel, most of them offer shuttle services (at extra charge).
Conference venue and transportation
The conference will be held at the Student Centre, North Campus, University of Education, Winneba (UEW). UEW is in Winneba, 65.5 kilometres from Accra. For convenience, we will arrange your pickup and drop-off at the airport for a fee.
Accommodation
Conference participants are requested to make their own accommodation arrangements using Booking.com or similar services. Recommended hotels near the conference venue include:
The prices range between EUR 30 and EUR 60. You will pay at the facility
Practical information
Visa requirements
All visitors (except for the citizens of ECOWAS, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Rwanda, Namibia, Singapore, Philippines, South Africa, Tanzania, Trinidad and Tobago, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent, Grenadines, Uganda, and Zimbabwe; some eight pacific islands including Fiji, Micronesia, Samoa, and Tonga) require a visa to enter Ghana. Visas for Ghana are available at all Ghana Missions and Embassies abroad. Conference participants should contact the nearest Mission or Embassy for visa requirements. The process typically takes 10-15 working days, so apply well in advance. Always verify requirements before traveling, as they may change. For more information visit Embassy or the website of the Ministry of Home Affairs in Ghana at www.home.gis.gov.gh.
Health and Immunizations
All conference participants must observe the health guidelines as provided by Ministry of Health in Ghana. For the most recent recommendations, visit the website of the Ministry of Health in Ghana at www.moh.go.gh.
Please note that participants health is their own responsibility and must ensure that they meet all the required health checks before travel.
Yellow Fever. All visitors to Ghana require a Yellow fever vaccination except for infants under one year. You must bring the original vaccination certificate as this is required to enter Ghana. Participants should check the vaccines and medicines list and visit your doctor at least 2–4 weeks before their trip to get vaccines or medicines they may need.
Malaria. It recommended to consult your doctor well in advance of your visit so that you may start anti-malaria treatment. Depending on the medicine you take, you will need to start taking this medicine multiple days before your trip, as well as during and after your trip.
Please consult the link below for travel health notices related to Ghana
Other
Time. Time in Ghana is given by a single time zone, officially denoted as West Africa Time (GMT, UTC+00:00).
Language. The official language used in Ghana is English.
Climate. Ghana generally has a tropical climate of 21-32 °C (70-90°F). Ghana’s tropical climate is warm overall, but the regions vary: the east coast is warm and dry, the southwest is hot and humid, and the north is hot and dry. When participants arrive in August, Ghana’s weather will generally be drier and somewhat cooler than the rest of the year, especially in the south. July and August are part of a short dry season, with some relief from the heavy rains in June.
Electric current. Ghana’s voltage is 220/240 volts, the same as in Europe. The plugs in Ghana are the same as those used in Great Britain (large 3—pin type G), so you will probably need an adapter to plug your laptop into the power outlet
Currency. The local currency is the Ghana Cedi (GHS). Please, check the most recent exchange rates close to your departure date (e.g. here).
Credit cards are accepted by most hotels, shops and restaurants. Still, it is advisable to have cash on hand for taxi, markets and informal traders.
In case of emergency. Call 112 (Police) and 114 (Ambulance).
Sponsors
Sponsoring options
We invite potential sponsors to contribute to this exciting scientific event. We offer several sponsorship levels as well as tailored solutions to meet your needs and interests.
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Interested to support the conference? Get in contact with the conference organizing team.
Contact
| AfroSAFE Academy | Local organiser | |
|---|---|---|
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Contact person |
Haneen Farah |
Enoch F. Sam |
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Affiliation |
AfroSAFE Academy Steering Committee |
Department of Geography EducationUniversity of Education, WinnebaGhana |
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Email |
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Telephone |
