ASSESSMENT AND IMPROVEMENT OF ROAD SAFETY IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES: EGYPT AS A PROTOTYPE CASE STUDY

This paper first presents a conceptualization of the road safety pyramid, its components, and related factors. It then develops a 3-step procedure to assess the road safety conditions in a developing country (Egypt). More than 40 criteria are identified and applied in order to semantically assess the road safety culture. Deaths/million vehicle km are obtained for Egypt, 3 other Middle Eastern countries, and 6 of the G-7 nations. These were compared to determine Egypt's road safety position. Accident records collected in 1998 for 5 main rural roads in Egypt are compiled and analyzed to identify accident causes. These are categorized as follows: driver related, pedestrian related, vehicle related, road related, environment related, and all other causes. The paper also develops an integrated road safety program comprised of 16 fields of action. Each contains a number of recommended policies, measures, and actions targeted to improve road safety in Egypt and other developing nations.