1

Road Safety in Azerbaijan:

Challenges and Way Forward

World Bank Transport TeamApril 16, 2010

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Summary

Background World Bank assistance program Opportunities and way forward

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Road network

Road Network -

Overall condition of the road network is fragile

Massive ongoing road investments - during 2005-09, totaled about US$3.8 billion

Main (M roads)

Secondary (R roads)

Local (Y

roads)

Azerbaijan

1 871 km 2 706 km 14 222 km

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Increasing rate of motorization

▪ The total vehicle fleet – 937 000 in 2009

▪ 81 private passenger cars per 1,000 inhabitants (2008)

▪ The total vehicle fleet has grown by 113% between year 2000 and year 2009

1995 2000 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 20090

200,000

400,000

600,000

800,000

1,000,000

392,165440,626

511,460554,031

612,069

690,012

773,318

860,047

937,000

Total number of motor vehicles in Azerbaijan (1995-2009)

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Fatality and Injuries Rates

In 2009, 930 people died, 3044 injured from 2792 road crashes in Azerbaijan

1995 2000 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 20090

500

1,000

1,500

2,000

2,500

3,000

3,500

4,000

Road traffic accidents in Azerbaijan (1995-2009)

injured fatalities accidents

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Fatality rates – comparison with other countries

The rate of fatalities per 100 thousand people is about two times and per 10 thousand vehicles about 5-10 times higher than the best countries in road safety terms

Source: World Bank (2005)

Nether

lands

Sweden UK

Germ

any

Italy

Finlan

d

Denm

ark

Franc

e

Portug

al

Spain

Austri

a

Irelan

d

Belgium

Slovan

ia

Greec

e

Czech

Rep

Hunga

ry

Poland

Bulgar

ia

Slovak

ia

Lithu

ania

Latvi

a

Mold

ova

Roman

ia

Turke

y

Russia

Ukrain

e

Georg

ia

Armen

ia

Azerb

aijan

02468

101214161820

Fatality rates in the South Caucasus countries and in other European and neighboring countries

Fat

alit

y ra

tes

per

10,

000

veh

icle

s

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Common problems on the roads Poor quality of roads

Traffic management issues Inadequate signs and road markings Buses/minibuses appear to stop anywhere, on

demand Poor traffic management at construction sites

Lack of proper pedestrian crossings in settlements, pedestrians crossing everywhere, even on high speed roads

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New section on edge of city: no lane markings or shoulder

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Poor traffic management during construction

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Laws & Enforcement

Current laws are not perfect, but if followed, allow improved road safety

Enforcement Speed enforcement ongoing by police,

speed cameras and radars Insufficient enforcement of seatbelts No enforcement of child restraint use Poor enforcement of pedestrian behavior Poor enforcement of bus driver behavior

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M4 – near Baku: unregulated bus stop; pedestrians crossing the road

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Poor behavior: walking in the middle of the road

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Road Infrastructure

Overall poor quality of the road network-only 45% of M-roads, 30% of R-roads, and 16% of paved Y-roads are in good condition.

Safe road design principles are not applied Insufficient acceleration-deceleration lanes

on high-speed roads No or insufficient median crash barriers

and guardrails No or insufficient fencing to protect from

animals crossing the road

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Baku-Alat road: many u-turns, most not marked or with adequate geometry for a high speed road

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Results of unsafe installation of roadside guardrails

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A cow in the median

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Road Safety Institutional Arrangements (i)

NATIONAL ROAD SAFETY COMMISSION

HOSPITALS AND RESCUE SERVICESMinistry of Finance

Ministry of Transport

GOVERNMENT POLICY AND LEGISLATION

Municipalities

Ministry of Health

Ministry of Education

Ministry of Internal Affairs

The Traffic Police

Local Executive Power

DRIVING SCHOOLS

NGOs

SCHOOLS

INSURANCE COMPANIES

Azeryolservis JSC

Road Safety Unit (ARS)

RoadUsers

CONCERNED PARTIES

UNIVERSITIES

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Road Safety Institutional Arrangements (ii)

National Road Safety Commission

Traffic Police – nominated as a lead agency

The Ministry of Transport and ARS have limited involvement of in the road safety issues

No approved Road Safety Strategy and action plan

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Road Safety in Azerbaijan -World Bank Program Objectives

Improved condition of the road network

Increased financing of road safety activities (up to 10% of the total investments in the future)

Support to develop and implement road safety strategy and action plans

Road safety audits of all road designs

Improved blackspots identification and treatment

Support to develop appropriate normative and regulatory frameworks

Capacity building and professional development of traffic police

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World Bank support to road safety Phase 1 – National Traffic Safety Policy

Highway Project (completed in 2009) The first draft National Traffic Safety Policy

for Azerbaijan has been developed (Finnroad)

Includes sections for the key road safety areas

The draft Document has not been approved by the Government due to lack of proper coordination between concerned agencies

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World Bank support to road safety

Phase 2 – Focus on Implementation Second Highway Project (ongoing)

Development of the National Road Safety Strategy and 5-year Action Plan to commence implementation of the Strategy

Development of at least 4 implementation plans for immediate actions over the first two years of the Action Plan

Design and first stage implementation of a Crash (Accident) Database

Development of Road Safety Audit Guidelines and Guidelines for Blackspot Identification and Treatment, and corresponding training

Capacity building, professional development and equipment for traffic police

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World Bank support to road safety Phase 2 – Focus on Implementation

Most comprehensive road safety technical assistance program ever implemented in Azerbaijan

Tendering has been completed and implementation of contract by SweRoad (Sweden) is expected to start within one month

Ownership by the State Traffic Police and Azeryolservis JSC and good interagency coordination are keys to success of the project

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World Bank support to road safety Phase 3 – Road Safety for Motorways

Third Highway Project (scheduled for approval in May 2010) Development of a traffic safety management

strategy for daily motorway operation Safety audits of designs Traffic safety supervision reviews Road safety improvements during

construction of additional two lanes of Baku-Shamakhi road (better facilities for pedestrians, improved junction designs and roadside crash barriers)

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World Bank support to road safety Phase 3 – Road Safety for Motorways

The component is designed in response to issues faced during rehabilitation of Baku-Shamakhi road under the Second Highway Project

Implementation of the road safety activities are scheduled to take place in 2011-2012

The results will be replicated in other road construction projects in Azerbaijan

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Way forward

Political commitment is key Coordinated actions by the leading agencies Active involvement of key agencies in development

of the Road Safety Strategy and Action Plan Full time Road Safety Secretariat, possibly under the

National Road Safety Commission Training and capacity building of the staff of

Secretariat and agencies involved in road safety Public awareness campaigns (e.g. seatbelts use) Active involvement of the assigned staff in Traffic

Police, MoT, ARS in the implementation of the project for better absorption of the technical assistance