Road Traffic Injuries: A National Problem in Lebanon

No special time, place, or equipment is necessary in order to be involved in a traffic crash. Crashes and related-injuries are not restricted or limited to race, social status, age, or gender. The aged and the young, the rich and the poor, men and women all may be injured in a traffic crash.
According to YASA International, a Non-governmental Organization specialized in Injury Prevention, the number of road victims will increase during the next two decades in most developing countries and especially in the Middle East Region. In the World Health Day of 2oo4, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended all governments to face the growing number of road tragedies and to work seriously for saving people’s lives by reducing mortalities and morbidities caused by road crashes.
            With only about 4.5 millions inhabitants and around one million two hundred thousand vehicles in Lebanon circulating on a road network of around 7000 km, Road Traffic Injuries (RTI)   are a deadly scourge, taking the lives of more than 900 men, women and children around Lebanon in one year. More than 1000 are injured every month some of whom become permanently disabled. The vast majority of these are pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists and users of public and school transport, many of whom would never be able to afford a private motor vehicle.
          The infrastructure is very varied from well-designed expressways to some poorly maintained roads with inadequate safety features. There is also a high proportion of old vehicles. Vulnerable road users, especially pedestrians and moped riders are involved in more than 45 per cent of the total number of road crashes.
             The deterioration of road safety has grave implications on the sustainable development and the protection of environment of Lebanon. Therefore, extensive commitments, planning, and skilled efforts are needed urgently to reduce the complex impacts of road crashes.  The government and most of the Lebanese citizens view road safety as a low priority issue although victims of road crashes in Lebanon are increasing and many families are suffering due to the losses occurring on roads. No national agency was established to reduce the burden of traffic related injuries in Lebanon. Unfortunately, no sustainable effort from the public sector was done to decrease road crashes. Only some private sector organizations had responded to the dilemma caused by road crashes. Improving road safety can only be achieved through good planning and scientific programming where both public and private sectors must share efforts.
This study suggests solutions for the problem of road related injuries that must be treated as a major national issue in the next years.
Prepared by M.Ziad Akl founder of yasa