AfroSAFE project
Safe System for radical improvement of road safety in African countries
The fundamental objective of the AfroSAFE project is to significantly advance the spread of the Safe System mode of operation in the context of road safety initiatives in African nations. This is achieved by exposing local practitioners and decision-makers to state-of-the-art knowledge and practices in road safety management based on Safe System principles, and by supporting them by sharing knowledge, tools, and methods for road safety improvement—adapted to African conditions and in close collaboration with local actors.
AfroSAFE Academy is formally a deliverable from the AfroSAFE project.
Horizon Europe Grant Agreement 101069500
About project
The problem
Despite accommodating only 4% of the global motor vehicle fleet, African roads witness more than 10% of the world’s traffic fatalities. African traffic death rates are the highest globally and more than four times higher than the European average. With further motorization, traffic fatalities and injuries are expected to further grow unless decisive actions are taken to tackle the problem.
Safe System approach
Recent impressive traffic safety improvements in some other parts of the world are often attributed to the adoption of the Safe System-approach to safety management. Its highly humanistic long-term goal is that no one will be killed or seriously injured in traffic (so called Vision Zero). Besides the vision, the Safe System suggests fundamental principles that can be applied and give positive results anywhere, regardless of how bad the starting situation might have been. Safe speeds, tolerance for human errors, and responsibility of the transport system designers to create a forgiving road environment are at the core of the Safe System. There are good reasons to believe that the Safe System can be a major game changer in Africa. However, it cannot be exported or enforced from the outside, but must be adopted by African experts who know and understand the local conditions.
AfroSAFE objective
The primary objective of the project is to propagate Safe System within the road safety work context in African countries. To achieve this, AfroSAFE will be exposing the local practitioners and decision makers to the state-of-the-art knowledge and practices based on the Safe System. The project will also support by sharing knowledge, tools and methods for road safety improvement—adjusted to the African conditions and in tight cooperation with the local actors.
Project focus areas
The project will deal with the five major pillars of road safety—management, vehicles, road users, infrastructure, and post-crash care. However, it will specifically focus on two important aspects:
- Vulnerable road users. Pedestrians, cyclists, and powered two-wheeler are the largest but most underprivileged road user group in Africa, disproportionally impacted by traffic accidents. Creating safe environments for them will have a direct positive impact on public health and well-being, gender equality, sustainability and liveability of the cities.
- Local expertise building. The shift to Safe System in Africa requires a critical mass of both road safety professionals and road users with the right knowledge and attitudes. It is a long-term process and the local educators play the key role in it. AfroSAFE adopts ‘train-the-trainer’ approach, creating the initial momentum and concentration of local expertise that will continue to spread after the project end.
Quick facts
Project acronym: AfroSAFE
Full title: AfroSAFE—Safe System for radical improvement of road safety in low- and middle-income African countries
Project duration: September 2022–August 2026
Funder: Horizon Europe – the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation
Total budget: € 4 000 000
Topic: Radical improvement of road safety in low and medium income countries in Africa
Grant agreement ID: 101069500
Project coordinator: Lund University, Sweden
Countries involved: Sweden, Norway, Denmark, the Netherlands, Tanzania, Ghana, Zambia
Partners
Lund University
Sweden
project coordinator
Institute of Transport Economics
Norway
Delft University of Technology
the Netherlands
NTU International
Denmark
Chalmers Industriteknik
Sweden
Zambia Road Safety Trust
Zambia
University of Dar es Salaam
Tanzania
Swedish National Road and Transport Research Institute
Sweden
University of Education, Winneba
Ghana
Volvo Group
Sweden
Autoliv Inc.
Sweden
Results
Project deliverables
- D1.1 ‘Project work plan’
- D1.2 ‘Data management plan’
- D2.1 ‘State of road safety management in selected African countries—review and recommendations’
- D3.1 ‘Road infrastructure safety management: Review of national design guidelines and procedures’
- D4.1 ‘Safe vehicles: Existing standards for vehicle safety, including suggestions for updates’
Publications in peer-reviewed journals
Elvik, R. (2023), ‘What would a road safety policy fully consistent with safe system principles mean for road safety?’, Accident Analysis & Prevention, 193, 107336, 10.1016/j.aap.2023.107336.
Elvik, R., T.-O. Nævestad (2023), ‘Does empirical evidence support the effectiveness of the Safe System approach to road safety management?’, Accident Analysis & Prevention, 191, 107227, 10.1016/j.aap.2023.107227.
Conference presentations
- Laureshyn, A., H. Farah, J. Masaki, E. F. Sam, R. Fisa, F. Francis, M. Hagenzieker, L. S. Bisht, C. D’Agostino, A. Varhelyi, T. Bjørnskau, A. Fyhri, T.-O. Nævestad, S. Forward, J.-F. Grönvall, T. Chandran (2024), ‘What do we teach when teaching traffic safety?’, presented at 1st AfroSAFE conference (Dar-es Salaam, Tanzania: 12–14 June 2024).
- Nævestad, T.-O., E. F. Sam, J. Blom, A. Fiangor, L. Egner, R. Elvik (2024), ‘Developing a simplified model for safety management system in African transport companies’, presented at 1st AfroSAFE conference (Dar-es Salaam, Tanzania: 12–14 June 2024).
- Blom, J., L. E. Egner, T.-O. Nævestad, E. F. Sam, A. Fiangor (2024), ‘Framework conditions, driving style, and passenger falls among bus drivers in Ghana and Norway’, presented at 1st AfroSAFE conference (Dar-es Salaam, Tanzania: 12–14 June 2024).
- Nævestad, T.-O., S. Forward, E. F. Sam, J. Masaki, D. Mwamba, F. Francis, A. Fiangor, J. Blom, I. Hesjevoll (2024), ‘Comparing national road safety culture in three African and three European countries’, presented at 1st AfroSAFE conference (Dar-es Salaam, Tanzania: 12–14 June 2024).
- Nævestad, T.-O., E. F. Sam, H. Farah, D. Mwamba, J. Masaki, L. Bisht, T. Myioba, A. Laureshyn, M. Magnusson, R. Elvik, J. Blom (2024), ‘Potential for implementation of Safe System principles in African countries: recommendations based on a systematic comparison of six countries’, presented at 1st AfroSAFE conference (Dar-es Salaam, Tanzania: 12–14 June 2024).
- Fyhri, A., T. Bjørnskau, L. S. Bisht, H. Farah, J. Masaki, E. F. Sam (2024), ‘What are the main gaps for road safety training in African countries?’, presented at 1st AfroSAFE conference (Dar-es Salaam, Tanzania: 12–14 June 2024).
