Global Meeting of Nongovernmental Organizations

Brussels, 7-8 May 2009

Association for Safe International Road Travel ASIRT

Briefing on the

Mobilizing Policy Makers in Support of Road Safety

Agenda

Strategies

Successes

Challenges

Policy Makers

• Officials of United States Department of State • United States Members of Congress • Ambassadors to Washington, DC• US Ambassadors in Host countries • Government representatives in Target

Countries

How does ASIRT encourage US government involvement in global road safety?

• Congressional briefings• Awareness raising programs• Education Days• Vigils, Remembrance Days • Conferences and Workshops• Congressional Correspondence• Media, publicity, high profile events,

Champion Recognition • Lobbying, Days on Capitol Hill

How does ASIRT encourage involvement of other governments in road safety?

• Involvement of US embassy• Partnering with local NGOs • Frequent meetings with Ministries of

Transportation, Interior, Education, Police, City Parliamentarians

• Media• Conferences and Workshops• Congressional Correspondence

ASIRT Kenya

Strategies

• Champions, friends of champions and friends of friends of champions

• Hard data and powerful emotion • Faces behind the figures • Partnerships and Collaboration • “What’s in it for me?”• Organized campaigns • Persistence • Media and publicity • Tourism

http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/18237.pdf

that road crashes are the that road crashes are the single greatest risk for single greatest risk for

healthy Americans healthy Americans traveling abroad.traveling abroad.

The data collected by the Dept. The data collected by the Dept. of State revealsof State reveals

ASIRT’s Impact on US State DepartmentWith ASIRT’s encouragement, State Department• Better informs Americans of road conditions in host

countries through expanded road safety information provided in Consular Information Sheets, briefings and website

• Fosters road safety projects in several host countries • Partners American civil society with host country civil

society on road safety initiatives • Collects road fatality statistics of Americans in each

country (since Sept 30, 2002)• Assumes increasingly greater role in global road safety

ASIRT

• Member of Interagency Roundtable on Global Road Safety coordinated by Department of State

• Participates in International Visitors forum

• Partners with US Embassies in target countries

With ASIRT’s encouragement Global Road Safety CaucusGlobal Road Safety Caucus

established in Congress in 2004established in Congress in 2004

• Raises profile of global road safety in Congress and across the country

• Focuses attention on the impact of the global road crisis upon American travelers

• Encourages U.S. agencies involvement in global road safety

• Passed resolutions recognizing World Day of Remembrance in House of Representatives and Senate

• Holds frequent briefings• Sponsoring House Concurrent Resolution

74 supporting goals of a Decade of Action for road safety

ASIRT on the “Hill”ASIRT on the “Hill”

Current membership: 36Current membership: 36

Global Road Global Road Safety CaucusSafety Caucus

language in Senate Foreign Appropriations Bill encouraging US embassies to better inform travelers of road risks abroad letters to State Department, urging increased activities addressing escalating road global road safety crisis letters to governments of Australia, Canada, France and Great Britain, encouraging collection of mortality data of citizens traveling abroad letters of concern or congratulations to foreign government agencies on road conditions/ activities

Briefings on the Hill

Embassy of France Hosts Debate on Road Safety

A free monthly review ofFrench news & trends

V O L . 0 7 . 1 3 D E C E M B E R 2 4 , 2 0 0 7

EUROPEAN UNION AMBASSADORS’ INITIATIVE

Challenges

• Funding

• Revolving doors

• Competing needs and demands

• Back burner syndrome

• Political stability, commitment

• Insufficient, inaccurate data

ASIRT Annual Gala

Help us Launch

A Decade of Action

for Road Safety

2010-2020

The World Bank

May 14, 2009