Road safety - implications for sustainable development in Latin America. (16th February 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Bezerra, Barbara Stolte; Kaiser, Ilza Machado; Battistelle, Rosane Aparecida Gomes
• Is Part Of: Latin American journal of management for sustainable development. Volume 2:Number 1(2015)
• Page Start: 1
• Page End: 18
• Publication Date: 2015-02-16
• Subjects: Latin America -- road safety -- sustainable development -- sustainability -- sustainable transport -- road accidents -- empowerment -- safety management -- vehicle standards -- corruption -- law enforcement -- traffic safety laws -- road construction -- safety inspections -- vehicle inspections -- vehicle fleet increase -- public transport demand -- safety culture; 338.9807
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2052-0336

Abstract

Road accidents cause more deaths than homicides in Latin America, nevertheless it is not highlighted as a major concern by media and society. World Health Organization put this issue in high priority by releasing the Decade of Action in Road Safety that establishes five pillars to guide national road safety plans and activities. This paper addresses the drawbacks in the implementation of these actions in Latin American countries and its implications to achieve a sustainable development. The main concerns are: lack of empowerment of the road safety management organisations; lower vehicular standards; corruption related to the enforcement of traffic safety laws to and to the construction of safer roads; absence of safety vehicular inspections; vehicle fleet increase, decrease of public transportation demand; and the absence of a safety culture. Without facing these problems, sustainable development in Latin America will be impaired, once road safety is a fundamental link to achieve sustainability.