The 10th Global Interactive Forum on Traffic and Safety (GIFTS)

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Dr. Toriumi presented an analysis of traffic safety evolution in Japan and broader Asian trends. She traced Japan's journey from 1960s motorization to its current "self-disciplined safety" culture, achieved through comprehensive improvements in infrastructure, legislation, and education.

Japan now faces two primary challenges: adapting to a super-aging society and transitioning from car-oriented to car-free infrastructure. With elderly people accounting for a high proportion of traffic fatalities, Japan is considering solutions like conditional licenses and improved suburban accessibility. The country is also implementing "Zone 30 plus" areas and revising speed limits to better reflect road functions.

Examining broader Asian trends, Dr. Toriumi noted that many countries remain in emerging stages with increasing motorization, particularly struggling with motorcycle usage and mixed traffic conditions. These nations, fitting into "controlled safety" or "pre-motorization" categories, face the question of whether they must follow traditional development paths or can implement more efficient strategies based on current knowledge. She emphasized the need for comprehensive safety programs that balance economic development with pedestrian safety, noting that many road users in developing nations remain unaware of risky behaviors.

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Dr. Ghassan Abu-Lebdeh presented an analysis of traffic safety in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), focusing on its unique position among Arab nations, particularly Gulf Cooperation Council countries. He described the UAE's dramatic transformation over three decades, marked by exceptional population growth and urbanization, with 88-90% of residents being expatriates from diverse cultural backgrounds, primarily from the Indian subcontinent and other Asian countries. This demographic composition, combined with high living standards and significant disposable income among nationals, has created distinctive transportation challenges.

The UAE has invested heavily in modern transportation infrastructure, including roadways, metro lines, and rail systems, while implementing stringent traffic laws that can include deportation for violations. Despite technological advancement and effective enforcement leading to reduced fatalities, the country faces unique "soft" challenges stemming from its cultural diversity. A key issue is the varied understanding of road safety among drivers from different backgrounds, many of whom may not understand Arabic or English road signs. This diversity impacts infrastructure operation, with traffic signals often running in conservative modes to accommodate varying levels of understanding.

Dr. Abu-Lebdeh pointed out that while progress has been made in reducing traffic fatalities, significant barriers remain, including limited data availability due to privacy concerns and confidentiality requirements. There is a need for a more comprehensive systems approach to safety and technological solutions alone cannot address all challenges in such a culturally diverse environment. The UAE's case demonstrates how rapid development and cultural diversity can create unique road safety challenges that require tailored solutions beyond traditional infrastructure and enforcement approaches.

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Dr. Wouter Van den Berghe presented an analysis of how national cultures influence traffic safety, focusing on measurement and cultural dimensions. He explained that national cultures can be mapped along two main dimensions: independent and confucianist, with countries clustering by geographic regions that reflect similar cultural characteristics. This mapping correlates with traffic fatality rates, showing significant variations between regions like Sub-Saharan Africa and Nordic Europe.

He emphasized the distinction between different levels of culture: national/community level and organizational/corporate level. While related, these require different approaches for improvement. The research showed that resistance to road safety measures varies significantly across cultures, with factors like "limitation of freedom" carrying different weights in different countries (e.g., less important in China than in California).

Dr. Van den Berghe outlined four progressive levels of individual safety awareness: basic understanding of unsafe behavior consequences, accepting current situations as intolerable, willingness to comply and support safety measures, and actively influencing others' behavior. He categorized improvement mechanisms as either "hard" (tangible regulations and restrictions) or "soft" (education, training, campaigns). His conclusions stressed that traffic safety culture is influenced by both national culture and corporate safety culture, requiring a combination of hard and soft measures for effective improvement, with employers potentially playing a larger role in promoting safety culture.

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Ms. Susanna Zammataro, representing the International Road Federation (IRF), presented insights from her organization's global perspective across 130 countries. She began with a case study of a modern intersection in Asia that, despite good infrastructure, demonstrated multiple safety issues - from cars occupying cycle lanes to dangerous pedestrian crossing patterns - to illustrate how safety problems stem from systemic issues rather than just user behavior.

Road safety challenges arise from multiple interconnected factors: outdated geometric design standards, lack of mandatory safety audits, insufficient policy implementation, and inadequate consideration of non-motorized users. The IRF addresses these challenges through various initiatives, including policy recommendations, design standard reforms in Central Asia and Africa, and the creation of an international registry for road safety auditors.

Ms. Zammataro highlighted the importance of qualified professionals in road safety, explaining that audits should be conducted by teams including various experts, not just engineers, to account for cultural and psychological factors. She stressed that measuring and understanding data is crucial for identifying problems and implementing effective solutions, with partnerships being fundamental to comprehensive safety improvements.

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Dr. Van den Berghe started the second round of short presentations by exploring how traffic safety culture both influences and is influenced by various societal factors. Social norms were elaborated on through examples like differing cultural responses to drunk driving and presented research showing strong correlations (0.7) between national culture and fatality rates, particularly relating to independence levels in societies.

He explained the complex relationship between culture and human development, noting that as countries develop economically, their cultural characteristics tend to shift, particularly along the independence dimension. This development typically brings both cultural changes favorable to road safety and increased resources for safety infrastructure, making it difficult to separate cultural from economic effects.

The research revealed contradictory relationships between culture and safety measures. For example, more individualistic societies often show stronger opposition to speed restrictions, yet these are the same countries that typically implement such measures due to political will and available resources. He cited the varying acceptance of Intelligent Speed Assistance (ISA) across European countries as an example of how safety culture influences receptiveness to new measures.

Dr. Van den Berghe concluded by addressing European priorities in road safety, including urban speed reduction, technology-based enforcement, and the challenges of balancing sustainable mobility with safety concerns, such as promoting cycling while managing increased injury risks. He emphasized the need for international consensus on measuring traffic safety culture, noting upcoming European projects aimed at developing standardized measurement systems.

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Dr. Toriumi explored how Japan's mature traffic safety culture developed through historical experiences and national cultural characteristics. She explained that Japan's traditional importance placed on group harmony and consideration for others contributed significantly to achieving higher safety levels. This cultural foundation is reinforced through early education, with elementary school children walking to school independently while supported by voluntary community safety patrols.

She presented a case study of changing traffic culture regarding pedestrian priority at unsignalized crosswalks. Through combined approaches including public relations, enforcement, and infrastructure design changes, Japan has seen increased driver compliance with pedestrian crossing rights over the past decade.

Examining broader Asian contexts, Dr. Toriumi mentioned two distinct cultural aspects affecting safety: locally adapted transport modes (such as tuk-tuks and jeepneys) and streets as spaces for social activities. While these cultural elements provide important social and economic benefits, they present safety challenges. Rather than eliminating these cultural practices, she pushed the need to integrate them safely into modern transportation systems. She noted how Japan's own experience of removing street activities for automobile infrastructure, and subsequent regret over lost cultural vitality, offers lessons for balancing safety with cultural preservation in developing Asian cities.

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Dr. Abu-Lebdeh focused on how the UAE's unique cultural composition affects road safety behavior. He highlighted the distinct patterns between UAE nationals (particularly younger drivers) who are disproportionately involved in risky driving and fatal crashes, and the diverse expatriate population who show higher involvement in pedestrian and cyclist accidents.

He proposed targeted approaches for each group: for UAE nationals, leveraging their small, uniform, tribal community structure to influence safer behavior, particularly among young drivers. For the larger expatriate population, he suggested focusing on civic engagement rather than punitive measures, acknowledging their diverse cultural backgrounds while building common safety practices. Dr. Abu-Lebdeh stated that recognizing and addressing these cultural differences is crucial for developing effective safety interventions in the UAE's multicultural context.

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Ms. Zammataro presented a case study of Italy's road safety culture, using her native country to illustrate common safety challenges found worldwide. She emphasized the cultural differences between northern and southern Italy, which reflect broader patterns in safety behavior and attitudes.

She identified several key cultural challenges in Italy: widespread distracted driving (linked to social customs of frequent family communication), lack of respect for pedestrians and cyclists (exemplified by Milan's experience where improved infrastructure alone failed to prevent cycling fatalities), and attitudes toward speeding (with half of surveyed drivers believing expert drivers can safely speed). Despite Italy's status as a founding EU member, these cultural factors continue to impede safety improvements, even affecting basic measures like seatbelt compliance.

Ms. Zammataro highlighted emerging challenges with micro-mobility, presenting data showing that 93% of related crashes involve single riders, often young people at night after drinking. She noted that Europe already has 20 million e-scooter users, with the micro-mobility market projected to reach 100 billion by 2030. While this trend offers sustainability benefits, there is still a need to address safety concerns through infrastructure improvements and speed management, particularly in areas where vehicles interact with pedestrians and cyclists.

The workshop would explore three specific areas: information sharing with international organizations, construction of low traffic safety city databases, and human resources development. Professor Morimoto highlighted Japan's Fundamental Traffic Safety Program, which aims to achieve the world's safest traffic conditions with targets aligned to global plans for 50% fatality reduction by 2030. He outlined Japan's evolution in traffic safety over 60-70 years, progressing from technological solutions to systemic and cultural changes.

The initiative includes a two-year effort to collect city-level safety data, recognizing the importance of location-specific solutions. Additionally, a human resources development program, established in 1983 through Honda's collaboration, brings 20 international professionals to Japan twice yearly. A new program was recently launched, expanding beyond traffic safety to include public transportation studies and exposure to latest technologies.

Dr. Michael Anyala

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Dr. Michael Anyala, representing the Asian Development Bank (ADB), presented on data-driven road safety investments. He emphasized road safety as a critical development issue, noting that the Asia-Pacific region loses 3-5% of GDP annually due to road deaths and injuries. His analysis of WHO data from 2010-2021 showed that countries with effective governance typically demonstrate better road safety outcomes, particularly among high-income nations like Japan, Korea, Australia, and Singapore. A key challenge is helping emerging economies achieve similar safety standards by 2030.

He highlighted that addressing road safety requires only 3% of the region's current infrastructure investments (from the total 550 billion invested annually), though there remains a disconnect between safety solutions and cost distribution, with much of the burden falling on healthcare, businesses, and families. To address this, ADB established the Asia Pacific Road Safety Observatory (APRSO) in 2020, now comprising 27 member countries including high-income nations like New Zealand and Australia, to connect stakeholders and support data-informed policy decisions.

The ADB is actively working on several initiatives, including monitoring UN safety performance indicators. One goal is to ensure that by 2030, more than 75% of travel on existing roads meets technical standards for all users. There are also developing an AI-based system to monitor motorcycle helmet wearing rates, targeting 100% compliance by 2030, which helps identify areas needing targeted enforcement and intervention.

Dr. Anyala showcased the Shaanxi Road Safety Demonstration Project in China as a successful example, which achieved significant reductions in deaths and injuries through improved road design and professional training. The project, valued at 300 million and recognized with an IRF award, utilized the National Road Safety Assessment Program to measure and improve safety ratings. The project demonstrated how proactive design methods can enhance road safety even without extensive crash data, and its success has led to replication across other countries despite initial resistance from engineers.

Mr. Yasuhiro Suhara

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Mr. Yasuhiro Suhara, representing the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), presented on their organization's traffic safety initiatives. JICA, an administrative agency under the Japanese government, operates in 150 countries with 96 overseas offices, focusing primarily on Southeast and South Asia. The organization employs three main schemes: technical cooperation through expert dispatch and training programs, grant aid for construction and equipment, and loans for larger projects.

While JICA has historically implemented infrastructure projects like flyovers and intersection improvements primarily targeting urban congestion, these initiatives have indirectly contributed to road safety. The organization has also invested significantly in public transportation, recognizing that modal shift from private vehicles to public transit helps reduce traffic accidents. Dedicated traffic safety projects are relatively recent, beginning with a project in Bethlehem (2006-2014), and have expanded to Thailand, Cambodia, Bangladesh, Uzbekistan, with upcoming projects in Kenya and Tanzania.

Mr. Suhara detailed a current technical cooperation project with Bangladesh's Metropolitan Police as an example. The project focuses on three main areas: accident data analysis, traffic safety education, and enforcement regulations. Specific initiatives include improving bus stop usage, installing pedestrian signals near hospitals, and conducting children's safety campaigns. The project also facilitates knowledge exchange, with Bangladesh police officers visiting Japan to study successful programs like community-supported school commuting safety systems.

JICA's traffic safety strategy follows a 4E approach (Enforcement, Engineering, Education, and Emergency), with particular importance on data collection, analysis, and enforcement capacity building. While there have achieved significant outputs, Mr. Suhara noted challenges including limited availability of experienced Japanese experts in police and emergency services, budget constraints, and difficulties in scaling successful pilot programs nationwide. Their educational initiatives primarily target schoolchildren rather than drivers, acknowledging the need to focus resources effectively within their operational constraints.

Ms. Claudia Adriazola-Steil

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「Ms. Adriazola-Steil presented on the interconnected themes of connecting, collecting, and communicating in road safety. Road safety is a complex issue involving multiple stakeholders: international agencies, national governments across various sectors, local governments, civil society, private sector, financial organizations, and academia. She noted that road safety impacts eight sustainable development goals, with 92% of traffic-related deaths occurring in developing countries.

She underscored the World Resources Institute's systemic approach, explaining how reducing crashes and fatalities creates a safer environment that encourages walking, cycling, and public transportation use, ultimately reducing emissions and pollution. Ms. Adriazola-Steil stressed the importance of strong performance indicators in investments, citing examples of infrastructure projects that resulted in increased fatalities, such as Nairobi's outer ring road which claims 40-50 lives annually.

Regarding data collection, she pointed out its critical role in both identifying problems and building compelling narratives to prioritize road safety initiatives. She shared examples including Boulder's speed management program and motorcycle safety research across Asia, Latin America, and Africa. The data helped develop targeted solutions and informed policy decisions.

On communication, Ms. Adriazola-Steil shared another powerful example from Boulder, where a newly finished avenue resulted in 24 fatalities and 913 injuries, including the death of a 65-year-old woman who had previously expressed safety concerns to the mayor. This led to the installation of speed humps, after which fatalities ceased. She stressed the importance of engaging with communities, responding to societal concerns, and effectively communicating with political leaders to prioritize road safety initiatives, noting that practitioners must be resilient and prepared with various arguments to make their case to decision-makers.

Professor Akinori opened the discussion period by acknowledging the previous presentations' key points about complex issues, SDGs, and the high proportion (92%) of traffic accidents in developing countries. He structured the discussion around three topics, beginning with information sharing among international organizations.

Mr. Suhara was the first to respond, expressing strong support for information sharing. He referenced his attendance at the APRSO meeting in Tokyo last October, noting that given JICA's relatively short history with traffic safety projects, such information sharing platforms are valuable for collecting insights and lessons learned to improve their projects.

Professor Morimoto followed up by sharing his own experience with APRSO as a member of the international organization, emphasizing the importance of data-driven analysis in finding solutions. He then invited Dr. Anyala to contribute to the discussion.

Dr. Anyala expanded on the information sharing topic, mentioning that there is a critical need for cooperation in data sharing, particularly to help emerging economies achieve safety standards comparable to high-income countries. He then talked about the APRSO and how they work with member countries to collect and share specific indicators, though noting that some governments remain protective of their information. Member countries must agree upfront to data sharing when joining the observatory.

He also highlighted the Asia Transport Outlook (ATO), a complementary resource that aggregates road safety data from secondary sources including World Road Statistics (WRS). This platform includes national and city databases across all transport modes, serving as a comprehensive information source for the Asia-Pacific region.

Professor Morimoto agreed with Dr. Anyala's emphasis on data-driven solutions, reiterating that data collection is the foundation for analysis and solution development. He then invited Ms. Adriazola-Steil to share her perspectives on the discussion.

Ms. Adriazola-Steil expanded on the information sharing discussion by stressing its role in aligning stakeholders toward a safe system approach. She stressed the importance of sharing successful examples and their underlying factors, noting that benchmarking and healthy competition can motivate progress. She drew a parallel between road safety professionals and doctors, emphasizing their shared responsibility for saving lives. She proposed a straightforward metric: whether investments and maintenance are reducing or increasing fatalities and highlighted the role of innovation in international collaboration.

The discussion then shifted to the final topic of sustainable human resource development in education. Mr. Suhara elaborated on JICA's perspective, noting that while they primarily focus on government personnel training, academic development in each country is crucial. He stated that since traffic safety often is not a high priority for politicians, building capacity among researchers and professors who can influence government officials becomes particularly important. He expressed hope for increased joint activities and capacity building for researchers in developing countries, acknowledging that while this falls somewhat outside JICA's direct mandate of training government personnel, it represents an important opportunity for collaboration with organizations like IATSS.

Professor Morimoto acknowledged Mr. Suhara's points about academic collaboration as a task for IATSS to address, emphasizing the need for future collaboration.

Ms. Adriazola-Steil provided comprehensive insights on human resources development, identifying three critical focus areas: traditional road user education to ensure competent system users, professional education for designers, engineers, architects, decision-makers, and economists in building safe transport systems that protect life while reducing emissions and promoting equity, and behavioral science to understand and facilitate behavioral shifts. She noted that university curricula and current systems often lack these crucial elements, particularly in professional education, which has resulted in the perpetuation of decades-old building practices.

Professor Morimoto acknowledged the importance of the three factors mentioned by Ms. Adriazola-Steil: user education, planner/political decision maker training, and behavioral change. He connected these to Professor Hideki Nakamura's research on behavior control and traffic culture change.

Dr. Anyala highlighted the future transformation of transport systems, expressing the need to consider decarbonization, micro-mobility, e-vehicles, and autonomous/connected vehicles in human resource development. He stressed that current infrastructure investments must account for future needs, as they will impact safety and mobility for years to come. He expressed ADB's interest in collaborating with academia and research institutions to help developing countries embrace these innovations and establish appropriate policies.

Professor Morimoto expanded on the future transportation systems discussion, noting the gradual global adoption of autonomous vehicles, particularly in the US and China. He referenced Japan's social experiments with Level 4 autonomous vehicles (no driver systems) and acknowledged the complexity of integrating these with conventional vehicles. He concluded by opening the floor for questions from participants.