Assessing progress of road safety legislation globally: criteria, methodology and evolution 2015-2023.

Abstract

WHO has set minimum, evidence-based criteria to evaluate the quality of behavioural risk factors laws and reports country progress in global status reports on road safety (GSRRS). We describe criteria evolution and country progress. We analyse laws on speed, drink driving, helmets, seatbelts and child restraint. Global status reports 2009 and 2013 are based on countries' responses. In Report 2015, the collection of legislation and assessment by WHO based on criteria began. Criteria were refined based on the evolving scientific evidence and practice. Report 2018 is the first year in which criteria are comparable with GSRRS 2023. Criteria are consistently applied using standardised interpretation criteria. Based on 2021-2030 Decade of Action for Road Safety framework, Report 2023 includes additional legislation topics but no criteria set. Assessment criteria: speed: national law with urban speed limit≤50 km/h and localities can modify limits. Drinking driving: national law based on blood alcohol concentration or breath alcohol concentration equivalent of ≤0.05 g/dL for general population and ≤0.02 g/dL for novice/young drivers. Helmets: national mandatory motorcycle helmet law covering all adult riders, for all engine types on all roads; helmet is properly strapped and reference to national or international helmet standard. Seatbelts: national mandatory seatbelt wearing exists applicable to all front- and back-seated vehicle occupants. Child restraint systems: national compulsory CRS use in place based on age/weight/height and referring to a standard. Results show a slow pace of legislation improvements. More research is needed on the quality of laws and implementation in low- and middle-income countries.