1. Arab Mashreq Road Safety Partnership Workshop
Doha October 2008
Development of Road Safety Strategy Kingdom of Bahrain Shawqia Humidan & Mahmoud Al-Katib &

2. Outline of the presentation
Background to Road safety in Bahrain
Brief Introduction and objectives
The development of the strategy
Summary of the proposed Strategy
Funding requirements & economic benefits
Why do we need to know the facts
Objectives of Stage one
How was the information collected
How was the traffic safety system evaluated
What we found
Strengths….Weaknesses…Key Issues

3. Fatal Accidents Trend 1995 – 2005 in the Kingdom of Bahrain
No of Accidents
Strengths
Traffic safety has considerable political support and several organisations are committed to improving traffic safety.
There is a high level committee co-ordinating the implementation of a multi-sector action programme at the National level.
Traffic safety polices exist.
Funds do not appear to have been a major constraint in preparing the road safety strategy but more consistent road safety funding mechanisms should be considered.
Crash costs have been estimated but not used for prioritisation of measures.
Year
Source General Traffic Department Bahrain

4. Death per 100,000 people in the Region
Source World Bank 2001 figures

5. Death per 100,000 vehicle in the Region
Source World Bank 2001 figures

6. Development of Road Safety Strategy Kingdom of Bahrain
Strengths
Traffic safety has considerable political support and several organisations are committed to improving traffic safety.
There is a high level committee co-ordinating the implementation of a multi-sector action programme at the National level.
Traffic safety polices exist.
Funds do not appear to have been a major constraint in preparing the road safety strategy but more consistent road safety funding mechanisms should be considered.
Crash costs have been estimated but not used for prioritisation of measures.

7. Objective of the study Evaluate traffic safety in Bahrain
Review and appraise the current level of traffic safety
Identify strengths and weaknesses
Identify the main critical issues and their effects for the future
Examine the options and the possibilities of implementation
Set Accidents reduction target for the next 10 years.
Formulate a future road safety strategy for the Kingdom of Bahrain

8. Kingdom of Bahrain Road Safety Strategy
Establish
facts
Examine Options
Develop Strategy
Agree
Strategy
IMPLEMENT?
Sector Reviews
Management
Data
Engineering
Training, Testing, Licensing
Vehicle Inspection
Insurance
Traffic Law
Publicity
Education
Medical Care
Evaluation & Research
SWOT Analysis
Stakeholder Engagement
Driver Observation
Prioritise Critical Issues
Target Setting
Management Structure
National Road Safety Council
Strategic Safety Unit
Stakeholder Buy-in
Funding
Monitoring
Roles and Responsibilities
Five Year Action Plans
Budgeting
Reporting
Technical Presentations
Launch
Identify
Understand
Develop
Evaluate
Prioritise
Implement
Monitor

9. How was the traffic safety system evaluated
The traffic safety system has been be divided into the following sectors;
1 Traffic safety management and coordination
2 Road safety engineering
3 Road safety education
4 Traffic law enforcement
5 Vehicle safety
6 Emergency and medical care
7 Evaluation of research
Each sector was given a weighting relative to it’s importance to the safety system

10. Traffic Safety Performance Indicators
Plan Sector Sub sector
1.1 Road Safety Managt’. & Coordination
1.2 Crash & Injury information
1.3 Insurance & Accident Costing 30
1. Road Safety Management
& Coordination 20 50 20
2. Engineering 15
2.1 Road Safety Engineering
100
3.1 Traffic Education of Children
3.2 Driver Training & Testing
3.3 Traffic Safety Publicity 20
3. Education 15 40 30
Road Safety
4. Enforcement
4.1 Traffic Law
4.2 Traffic Law Enforcement 40 25 60
TRL is the largest and most broadly based centre for transport research in the UK.
The Laboratory currently has over 385 scientists and engineers covering all aspects of the transport sector from highway engineering to driver behaviour and environmental issues to road safety.
In addition to working in the UK we have extensive experience overseas and carried out projects in over 50 countries over the last 3 years.
While we were an Agency we improved our business efficiency and this has put us in a position to compete effectively in the open market.
The target growth of our non Department research is, however, extremely challenging but we plan to double revenue from these sources so that it represents about 45% of turnover by the year 2002.
Our turnover last year was £32M and we expect to gradually increase this level of turnover over the next few years.
This will improve our competitiveness and create career opportunities for staff so making TRL attractive to top specialists in our field
5.1 Vehicle Testing/Inspection 40
5. Vehicle Safety 10
5.2 Vehicle Standards
5.3 Hazardous Goods + Overloading 30 30
6.1 Emergency Services
6.2Trauma Management
6.3 Victim Rehabilitation 50
6. Emergency & Medical Care 10 30 20
7. Evaluation 5
7.1 Road Safety Research/ Monitoring
100
= Proposed weighting 30
Slide No 1

11. Who are the main stakeholders?
Traffic Control Board
Ministry of Roads and Housing including
Road Planning & Design Directorate
Ministry of Education
Ministry of Health including
Ambulance and Emergency Medical Care Services
Ministry of Interior
General Directorate of Traffic including
Driver Examination
Vehicle Inspection
Ministry of Transportation
Ministry of Finance
Governorate Affairs
Public Driving Schools
Fire and Civil Defence Services
Bahrain Road Traffic Research
Major Insurance companies
Traffic Control Board
Road Planning & Design Directorate
Traffic Police Department
Ministry of Education
Ministry of Health
Ministry of Interior
Ministry of Transportation
Ministry of Finance
Municipalities Affairs
Public Driving Schools
Driving licensing & examining Department
Vehicle licensing & Inspection Department
Ambulance and Emergency medical care Services
Fire and Civil defense services
A & E Departments in major Hospitals
Bahrain Road Traffic Research
Major Insurance companies

12. The Evaluation Results
Sector
Level of service
Emergency and Medical Care
94%
Vehicle Insurance
86%
Road Safety Education in Schools
64%
The Accident Data System
56%
Road Safety Publicity
54%
Safety Engineering
48%
Road Safety Management Co-ordination,
Funding and Strategies
42%
Driver Training Testing and Licensing
41%
Traffic Law Enforcement
38%
Vehicle Inspection
Evaluation and Research
24.5%
Summary of sector scores
Less Action
More Action

13. Summary of the proposed Strategy

14. Main Elements of the Strategy
A target of reducing Fatal and Serious casualties by 30% by 2016 compared to the 2006 base line was set.
A new road safety management structure has been approved with a National Road Safety Council.
A Strategic Road Safety Unit is approved to assist in the implementation of the Strategy.
129 initiatives were identified in all sectors
A five year implementation programme was developed & costed

15. Summary of Cost per sector
Cost B.D
Management, Co-ordination and Funding
Accident Data System
Road Safety Engineering
Driver Training, Testing and Licensing
Vehicle Inspection
Vehicle Insurance
35 000
Traffic Law Enforcement
Road Safety Publicity
Road Safety Education in Schools
Emergency and Medical Care
Evaluation and Research
Total

16. Total Cost of the Five year Action Plan
Strengths
There is an established independent research centre with some funding provided by the Bahrain University.
The research is of a reasonably high standard with some publications.
Several national conference and some training programmes have been established.

17. How much will be saved
When the strategy is implemented, the reduction in the number of accidents will save the Kingdom’s economy over 100 million B.D.
Please remember that the above number is an under estimate, it does not include the Human Grief and Suffering
If Included the figure would be 180 million B.D
Why do we need to know the facts
Objectives of Stage one
How was the information collected
How was the traffic safety system evaluated
What we found
Strengths….Weaknesses…Key Issues

18. Saving…… Summary
Estimates of the economic benefits of savings by a 30% reduction of all accidents over a ten-year period
100 million BD.
The cost of implementing the improvements in the different sectors as outlined above, and amounts to a total of million BD
If the Kingdom spends 25 million B.D over ten years
The minimum rate of return will be 4 to 1

19. How will it work
To ensure that the strategy is implemented, the following must be provided:
The highest possible level political support.
Clearly defined leadership.
Experienced safety experts to get the process underway.
Sustainable financial resources must be available.
Improvement in road safety is an investment to ensure a safe environment for future generations

20. Progress to Date
The national existing Traffic Board is to be extended to cover the duties identified for the National Road Safety Council.
A technical working team from all stakeholders is formed
Outline budgets have been set with implementation starting in 2009 and has been secured in principle.
The establishment of the SRSU is underway.
A review of Speed Limits, the first project to arise out of the Strategy is nearing completion..
Work is underway at Ministry of Works to start further projects next year, including Road safety engineering plan, a review of highway design standards, and formalisation of Safety Audit procedures.
Work is underway at the Ministry of Interior to appoint Consultants to assist in the implementation of their elements of the Strategy.

21. We are confident that many lives will be saved
Summary
The current road safety situation was assessed
The stakeholders have been cooperative and fully engaged
There is a considerable room for improvements in most sectors.
Setting a long term strategy to reduce causality numbers, is timely and will enable the government to keep the Kingdom’s roads safe.
The strategy has been developed in discussion with the stakeholders to ensure that it is practical and can be implemented.
We are confident that many lives will be saved
The objective of establishing the current situation has been achieved.
The stakeholders have been cooperative and most of them feel they want to improve.
There is a considerable room for improvements in most sectors.
Setting a long term strategy is timely and will continue to keep the Kingdoms’ road safe.
The new strategy will be developed in discussion with the stakeholders to ensure that it is practical and implementable.

22. Thank you for your kind attention
For more information, please contact
Mrs Shawqia Humidan
Chief Traffic Engineer
Ministry Of Works
P. O. Box 5
Manama
Kingdom of Bahrain
TEL:
Fax:
Mahmoud Al-Katib
Managing Director
TSTN Limited
United Kingdom
TEL/ FAX:
U.K. Mobile:
Bahrain Mobile:
Saudi Mobile:
I think all contact should be through Shawqia