See how youth are revolutionizing road safety awareness in Belize

See how youth are revolutionizing road safety awareness in Belize

by | Dec 29, 2023 | News & Blog

We have been speaking about Belize a lot over the last few years. Namely, because the Government and the Caribbean Development Bank have been investing a lot in the country in terms of infrastructure upgrades and road safety awareness.

From 2014-2016 we worked with 34 talented young people to train them on road safety issues. These young people were selected from across Belize, young people passionate about social issues and personally affected by road crashes. A few years on, these young people are still working with the Government of Belize to raise awareness of road safety in the country.

One of our massive successes in capacity development and empowering youth is the two year programme established in partnership with the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) and the Government of Belize (GOBZ). These efforts were part of the Bank’s wider all-encompassing road safety project, which focuses on improving Belize’s infrastructure, emergency response, enforcement and education.

YOURS realized this mission by establishing a strong partnership with the government, universities, youth groups and media and to train 34 young facilitators over two years. We trained two cohorts, one in 2014 – one in 2015, and took young leaders from Belize through the full YOURS interactive workshop experience. These facilitators successfully trained a futher 2000+ youth in road safety by the end of 2015.

In 2017, the young people continue to take part in road safety activities in the country. One of the most memorable and enjoyable interventions that have been pioneered have been road safety adverts. These adverts, run across tv, radio and other media has become a catchy soundtrack to developing road safety culture amongst young people in the country.

I remember visiting Belize in November last year (2016) to see how the second cohort of facilitators were getting on. After running their tailored 3 hour workshops with schools, one of the facilitators Sylvian Neal a.k.a the Young Proti-Jay (also know as the traffic man picture on the right in the middle) revealed his identity as the guy behind the road safety adverts on tv and radio.

As a budding musician, rapper and passionate road safety advocate, Sylvian has been the voice and often face behind a selection of PSAs produced by the Belizean Youths for Road Safety in collaboration with the Belize Road Safety Project. The excitement on the eyes of the youth, often students in inner-city schools was palpable.

“Widened eyes and bright smiles of enthusiasm that the ‘Traffic Man’ was about to perform in their classroom”.

With kids singing along, some patting their knees and backpacks to provide a beat, Sylvian performs to raptures of cheers, I would call him a road safety celebrity.

He continues to use his creativity and music skills to work with the Government of Belize and raise awareness of road safety in his memorable style. More recently, they worked to raise awareness of a new roundabout (as part of infrastrcuture developments). It may seem like a small deal in Western Europe, but for a small country like Belize, getting a roundbaout is a big deal. As we know, if we fail to tell people how to use new safety infrastucture corretly, they can pose a safety challenge.

Belizean Youths for Road Safety posted: Brand New Roundabout Commercial by the Belizean Youths for Road Safety in collaboration with Sol Belize and the Belize Road Safety Initiative. Shout outs to my brother Delroy Thompson a k a Del B for the audio production, my friends at Shamax Pro for the great video production and my friends who participated in the video. At the end of the day, it is always a team effort. Check it out, people. A couple more coming soon. Help us to make our country safer.

READ MORE ABOUT OUR PROGRAMME IN BELIZE

Star Ratings for Schools App: New road safety tool from iRAP

Star Ratings for Schools App: New road safety tool from iRAP

by | Dec 29, 2023 | News & Blog

We all want the best for our kids, but every day children are dying or being seriously injured in road crashes as they travel to their place of education. Sometimes they are killed just yards from the school entrance.

We can’t allow these tragedies to continue. Each death and each injury violates a child’s right to an education. This is why iRAP is developing the iRAP Star Rating for Schools Global App.

It’s the first ever systematic evidence-based approach for analysing the risk on roads around schools. This easy-to-use universal application is a low-cost way to support quick interventions that start saving lives and preventing serious injuries from day one.

“Our vision is of a world where all children travel safely to and from school. In the coming months, we will be sharing the stages of our journey towards realising this vision”.

The app combines an easy to use School Assessment mobile app and a Global reporting for Schools web application. Both of these components harness the computation functionality of ViDA, the iRAP star rating web application.

Star ratings are an internationally recognised measure of risk on roads which have been developed by iRAP. The least safe roads are rated as 1-star and the safest as 5-star.

It’s easy to train people to use the School Assessment app using a hand held device. The app can deliver a quick and easy measurement of safety at the site and can point towards potential treatment options.

“There is nothing more fearful for a FedEx Courier than a child darting out in front of your truck” – David J. Bronczek, President and COO, FedEx Corporation.

What will success look like?
Success will be measured by:

  • Number of schools assessed
  • Number of children made safer
  • Incremental star rating improvements and estimated reduction in risk
  • Actual before and after crash data if available
  • Aggregate results of conflict studies
  • Investment made and investment leveraged
  • Number of volunteer hours
  • School attendance rates

The App is sponsored by FedEx and supported by a number of partners including the Global NGO Alliance for Road Safety NGOs. Because of their grass roots nature NGOs have a vital role to play in identifying need and advocating for safer roads. They are at the forefront of the global effort to prevent road deaths.

By channelling local demand for road safety, they help to create the leverage that leads to life saving action across a wide range of safety concerns including seatbelts, crash helmets and speeding, as well as road safety infrastructure.The Alliance works to empower its members with skills in networking and sharing, advocacy, and capacity building. Sharing best practice and resources between members means that each NGO is able to punch well above its weight in arguing for safer roads.

This is particularly important in countries where there is little existing framework for promoting road safety.The Alliance’s Executive Director Lotte Brondum says that the app could be a ‘Great support for advocacy work for safer school zones’.

‘When you are speaking to people who are developing road designs, you need to be able to pin point the exact problem and what can be done about it. The Star Rating for Schools app could be a great tool for building that argument.

 

WMC Action News 5 – Memphis, Tennessee

‘She added that members of the Alliance had an excellent opportunity to try out a test version of the app collecting data at South Winds School in Memphis, Tennessee during their recent Empowerment Programme, which was sponsored by FedEx.‘They found it very easy to use and intuitive.

It is visually attractive and draws you through a simple and logical data gathering process which is directed by universally recognisable graphics. The next stage is for our members to test the app in their local environment. It’s possible that this will throw up the need for extra tools and refinements and we will be feeding this back to the development team.’

 

READ MORE ABOUT THE START RATINGS FOR SCHOOL APP

“Beyond Expectations” – Alliance Advocates reflect on Memphis training

“Beyond Expectations” – Alliance Advocates reflect on Memphis training

by | Dec 29, 2023 | News & Blog

Last month, we wrapped up the Alliance Advocates training in Memphis, Tennessee organized by the Global Alliance of Road Safety NGOs as part of their Alliance Empowerment Program and sponsored by FedEx. Our role was the continued design and delivery of the program curriculum, delivered in the signature YOURS facilitation method. The Alliance recently featured two testimonial reflections from participants to the training, we are pleased to share them with you here!

The Alliance Advocate program is the centrepiece of the Alliance’s capacity-building effort, the Alliance Empowerment Program. Its function is to equip an elite group of Alliance member NGOs to make a significant impact on the road safety agenda around the world.

Texel Cossa, Amend, Mozambique, and David Razboršek, Zavod VOZIM, Slovenia are two of the 2017 cohort of Alliance graduates. We interviewed them midway through the intensive two-week training program in Memphis to get their views on what makes the training so special and how it will impact their work.

Texel, Amend Mozambique

“As a road safety NGO, our main goal is to save lives,” says Texel Cossa, Amend Mozambique, “and the main tool is advocacy.” Texel applied for the Alliance Advocates program because she realized it was an opportunity to gain advocacy skills that would help her and Amend Mozambique achieve their goals and contribute to the Global Goals. When she was accepted into the program, she says she was both “overwhelmed with joy” and conscious of the “huge responsibility of being one of 14 advocates chosen to support the 192 [members of the Alliance].”

On arriving in Memphis, Texel brought some expectations about the training: “When we talk about training, I was well prepared for a lot of PowerPoint presentations, a lot of listening and note-taking. I expected a lot of information and to focus hard.”

The reality was very different. “It was beyond my expectation,” she says describing the energy-boosting activities, interaction, and the shared experience of the group: “Everyone was completely involved, and the facilitators made sure we were on the same track and that everyone understood.” She praises the facilitators: “they made it look so easy and practical.” For Texel, the highlight of the training so far has been “how they managed to transform a group of 14 Alliance members into a happy family with the same vision. If we are to represent 192 members of the Global Alliance, we need to be able to work as a team; they have turned us into one spirit and one voice in a short period of time.”

The training will have a lasting effect on Texel’s work. “After training,” she says, “everything we do will be SMART from the beginning…identifying our objectives and sticking to them.” Texel’s action plan focuses on safer road users in Mozambique and, in particular, safe school zones and safe journeys to and from school. “I have gained powerful tools to go back and execute our plans successfully,” she says. It hasn’t just been the training that has inspired Texel, the environment itself has shown her how the job can be accomplished. “It is quite helpful to have such training in an environment like this [at the FedEx headquarters],” she says. “It is a good example to see the practical things. If FedEx can do it on a huge scale—the planning, goals, execution—then a small NGO should be able to too. It has been an amazing experience: making things clear by example.”

 

“Alliance Advocates grasped road safety concepts through the YOURS facilitation approach”.

David, Zavod VOZIM

Zavod VOZIM, Slovenia, which represents injured road victims, is expanding and aims to save more lives. David Razboršek knew that to do this effectively, the organization would need to be more efficient and gain advocacy skills. He also knew that, if he were accepted into the Alliance Advocates program, it would put him and the NGO into, what he describes as, a “faster and more efficient gear.” He also says: “Our story, our members’ story, would not become other people’s story.” Like Texel, when he found out he would be going to Memphis, he was honoured, but recognized the commitment it represented to Zavod VOZIM and to the Alliance.

Now in Memphis, the training has exceeded his expectations in many ways. “I didn’t expect the team to be so connected,” says David, referring to the advocates’ working range of countries, backgrounds, environments, and conditions. A highlight for him has been the energy and passion of the group. “When you have the same values and vision, it boosts you up and makes your vision and commitment to change stronger.” He further comments on how well-structured and well-prepared the training has been while also being relaxed, practical, and productive.

David is convinced that what he is learning in the training will have a big effect on his work back in Slovenia and in neighbouring countries. “The improvement will be how to do it more professionally: more efficiently, goal-oriented, and evidence-based,” he says. “The whole process of advocacy in every phase will be more efficient and will result in saving more lives…I can’t wait to take that back…This is training that NGOs need to have. We are the second generation of graduates, and I hope there will be 100 generations. It will change the way people work significantly and will have a positive snowball effect on road safety”

As a final word, David says: “Thanks to all—a lot of work has gone into preparing such great training,” giving nod to the Alliance, FedEx, the trainers and facilitators, and even the hospitality team.

READ MORE ABOUT THE ALLIANCE EMPOWERMENT PROGRAM

Where is the world’s most dangerous country for young people?

Where is the world’s most dangerous country for young people?

by | Dec 29, 2023 | News & Blog

Recently the Guardian wrote an article about the widening gap in youth mortality between the developed and developing world. A new analysis shows Violence, preventable diseases, and traffic accidents are to blame for a widening of the youth mortality gap between the developed and developing world, according to a new Guardian analysis of the most recent World Health Organisation (WHO) data. 

 

Most Dangerous Country

The most dangerous country in the world to be a young person (defined as aged between 15 and 29) is Sierra Leone, with one youth in every 150 there estimated to have died in 2015. Its youth mortality rate per 100,000 (671) is almost 100 people higher than the next country on the list, war-torn Syria (579).

 

Cyprus is the safest of the 184 countries analysed, with a death rate of almost one in every 4,762 youths, while Denmark, the fifth safest, halved its number of young deaths between 2000 and 2015. The United Kingdom (one in every 3,030 young people) is ranked just outside the top 10 safest countries, behind Israel. 

Recently the Guardian wrote an article about the widening gap in youth mortality between the developed and developing world. A new analysis shows Violence, preventable diseases, and traffic accidents are to blame for a widening of the youth mortality gap between the developed and developing world, according to a new Guardian analysis of the most recent World Health Organisation (WHO) data.

 

Most Dangerous Country

The most dangerous country in the world to be a young person (defined as aged between 15 and 29) is Sierra Leone, with one youth in every 150 there estimated to have died in 2015. Its youth mortality rate per 100,000 (671) is almost 100 people higher than the next country on the list, war-torn Syria (579).

 

Cyprus is the safest of the 184 countries analysed, with a death rate of almost one in every 4,762 youths, while Denmark, the fifth safest, halved its number of young deaths between 2000 and 2015. The United Kingdom (one in every 3,030 young people) is ranked just outside the top 10 safest countries, behind Israel.

READ MORE ABOUT THE ROAD SAFETY CRISIS FACING YOUTH

Globally, the mortality rate for young people decreased 21% between 2000 and 2015, with HIV-related deaths, in particular, falling significantly. Yet the gap between developing and developed countries has widened in that period, from 2.2 up to 2.4 times higher.

The explanation is that, while youth mortality rates are falling fastest in the world’s most and least developed countries, the decline is considerably slower in “mid-tier” countries such as Brazil and Venezuela, as defined by the Human Development Index.

Syria is the only non-African country to feature among the 25 countries with the highest youth mortality rates. Despite that, considerably more young people died as a result of violence in Brazil in 2015 than in Syria.

In Nigeria, the fourth worst-performing country, approximately 235,000 youths are estimated to have died in 2015. In absolute terms, this was the second highest number of young deaths in the world after India, whose population is seven times greater.

Road Accidents

Road accidents are the most common cause of death of young people throughout the world. The WHO estimates that 350,000 young people died in 2015 as a result of traffic-related injuries. While the problem affects both developed and developing countries, the data reveals markedly different trends.

For example, while traffic-related deaths in Ecuador increased by 110% from 2000 to 2015, Spain managed to reduce its traffic-related deaths by 85% in the same period.

In Luxembourg, one of the safest countries in the world, 46% of youth mortality is caused by road accidents, but the related mortality rate is just under 10 per 100,000 – almost half the average global rate. In Venezuela, traffic injuries cause 29% of young deaths, but they kill 70 out of 100,000 young people every year – the highest rate in the world. Besides Venezuela, every other country in the top 20 for traffic-related deaths is in Africa.

‘The Knock On Effect’ of speeding – a powerful new road safety advert

‘The Knock On Effect’ of speeding – a powerful new road safety advert

by | Dec 29, 2023 | News & Blog

In a 2006 study, The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the European Council of Transport Ministers determined that excessive or inappropriate speed was the full or partial cause in approximately one third (33%) of all fatal crashes. Put another way, SPEED KILLS. There are a lot of misconceptions about the role that speed plays in crashes. Protect yourself and your loved ones by getting the facts.

Road safety issues, including speeding, have been subjected to scientific analysis for nearly one hundred years and a vast body of research has been developed. The consensus in road safety  best practice is:

  • The faster you drive, the worse the crash will be if you get in one because of the greater force involved
  • The faster you drive, the more likely you will be in a crash because you will have less time to react to unexpected hazards.
  • Even small decreases in mean speed travelled equal many lives saved.

 

Know the Difference

“Speeding” is driving above the speed limit whilst “excessive speed” is driving way above the speed limit, and you can be arrested for it. This applies at 30 km/h or more in an urban area and 40 km/h or more outside an urban area or on a freeway. Under Sections 35 and 36 of the National Road Traffic Act, 93 of 1996 your driver’s licence will be suspended if you are convicted of excessive speed

 

“Inappropriate speed” is driving too fast for the conditions; for example, driving at the speed limit in heavy rain.


Why Speed Kills

Speed has two main relationships with road safety

  1. The most direct link is aggravation of severity: greater collision speeds mean more force unleashed on the victims and thus speed directly influences the likelihood of death or serious injury. This is particularly so when vulnerable road users such as pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists are involved in a collision with another vehicle. 
  2. The second relationship, a bit more complex, is the causal role of speed in a road trauma incident. The higher the speed at the point where a crash becomes likely, the less time there is for the driver to react, and the increased chances of skidding or other events influencing loss of control. So higher speeds play a very significant role in causing crashes.

The powerful video illustrates the impact of a speeding crash not only on the person in the crash but also the immediate family, a stark reminder that speeding has a wider impact.

Our Communications Officer, Manpreet Darroch said, “This advert is a great reminder of the human element of road safety. Lots of road safety film makers focus on blood, guts and shock tactics, its powerful to see the wider impact of a crash, such as the family who really would go through the crash with you in terms of grief and family trauma“.

READ MORE ABOUT SAFELY HOME

NGOs to Lead Development of Road Safety Initiatives by NGOs in 15 Countries

NGOs to Lead Development of Road Safety Initiatives by NGOs in 15 Countries

by | Dec 29, 2023 | News & Blog

We are currently in Memphis, Tenessee in the United States of America to work with the Global Alliance of NGOs for Road Safety in its flagship program, the Alliance Advocates. During this programme, we will be training 15 advocates from 15 countries in global road safety advocacy alongside the Alliance and sponsored by FedEx.

Today, the Global Alliance of NGOs for Road Safety (the Alliance) launched its second Alliance Advocate Training Program at FedEx Express World Headquarters in Memphis. A group of 15 road safety professionals from 15 countries on five continents will gather for an intensive two-week program that will strengthen their professional skills in advocacy, communications, project management, strategic planning, and more.

Prior to the training, each advocate identified a key road safety issue in their home country, which, if addressed, could have a measurable effect on the number of road crashes that currently take 1.25 million lives around the world each year. Issue

Alliance Advocates meet at the FedEx World Technology Campus in Memphis, USA.

During the training, each advocate will create an evidence-based, measurable action plan that they will implement in the coming months. With delegates attending from a diverse range of high-, medium-, and low-income countries, and with widely different cultural, economic, and political challenges, the training is highly tailored to be applied in different environments.

 

The Alliance advocates were selected through a highly-competitive selection process, and represent an elite group within the Alliance, which represents more than 190 road safety NGOs (non-governmental organizations) in more than 80 countries. Much is expected from the advocates upon completion of the training.

Graduates of last year’s program are already making their mark on global road safety, confirming the value of the program. Impacts include implementation of a national seat belt law in Tunisia, which saw road deaths fall within the first month, and a new law in the Philippines requiring children to wear helmets on motorcycles.

The Alliance Advocates training is part of the Alliance Empowerment Program, a capacity-building initiative, launched in 2016, which aims to improve the ability NGOs working in road safety around the world.  FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX) sponsors and supports the Empowerment Program, not only through funding, but also by providing expertise and resources to grow the potential of Alliance member NGOs.

lotte.jpg

“This is an important initiative for the Alliance,” said Lotte Brondum, administrative director of the Global Alliance of NGOs for Road Safety. 

“The Alliance Advocates face a lot of road safety challenges in their home countries. We know from the 2016 cohort of advocates how much can be achieved following the training and we look forward to a challenging and fruitful two weeks.”

“Road Safety is a top priority at FedEx,” said Neil Gibson, vice president, Corporate Communications, FedEx. “As part of our FedEx Cares commitment to invest $200 million in 200 communities worldwide by 2020, we are dedicated to saving lives and developing solutions that responsibly and sustainably make roads safer.  We are delighted to sponsor the Alliance Empowerment Program and Alliance Advocate training and to be able to use our expertise to empower road safety organizations around the world.”

 

READ MORE ABOUT THE ALLIANCE ADVOCATES PROGRAMME