Jordan Improves Road Safety Traffic Record in 2008

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 AMMAN 003139 SIPDIS STATE FOR NEA/ELA AND OES E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: SENV TSPL PGOV JO SUBJECT: Jordan Improves Road Safety Traffic Record in 2008 REF: A. STATE 119012 ¶B. AMMAN 2154 AMMAN 00003139 001.2 OF 002 ¶1. Summary: Although Jordan continues to have one of the highest traffic accident rates in the world, it has witnessed a significant gain in improving its road-traffic safety record in 2008, reducing fatality rates by almost 40%. Several high-profile traffic fatalities focused considerable attention on this issue from the King and the Prime Minister. The Public Security Department has increased its traffic monitoring and enforcement on major highways, and several NGOs are focused on increased awareness and outreach activities. A new 2008 traffic law provides additional penalties for traffic violations. Numerous challenges remain and local experts question whether the remarkable decreases in fatalities, injuries, and accidents achieved in 2008 can be sustained. Under the framework of the U.S.-Jordan Science and Technology agreement, an initial DVC is planned to identify potential U.S.-Jordan collaborations in this area. End Summary. Rate of Road Accidents Declines in 2008 -------------- ¶2. According to the Jordan Traffic Institute (JTI),every 10 hours someone in Jordan is killed in a road accident, with a child killed every 35 hours. This reality, reinforced by several high-profile traffic fatalities, including a bus accident on January 26, 2008 on the Amman-Jerash highway, in which 26 people were killed, focused considerable attention on this issue from the King and the Prime Minister. Senior GOJ intervention, including a project endorsed by Queen Rania, has resulted in a significant decrease in the number of fatalities, serious injuries, and accidents in 2008 compared to the year 2007. The statistics for the February 1 - October 31 periods for both years highlight these improvements: -- 453 deaths in 2008 compared to 746 in 2007, a 39.27% decrease. -- 10,441 injuries in 2008 compared to 14,387 in 2007, a 27.42% decrease. -- 74,971 accidents in 2008 compared to 85,303 in 2007, a 12.1% decrease. New Traffic Law Grants More Powers to Police -------------- ¶3. The controversial September 2008 traffic law grants police the power to arrest drivers who inflict physical injuries on other people, drive under the influence of alcohol or drive 50km (30 miles) per hour over the speed limit. The law also sets stiff penalties for speeding, reckless driving and running red lights while imposing up to a two-week imprisonment and a minimum JD 150 ($210) fine for those who let someone without a license drive their car. The traffic law is seen as a means to change negative behaviors on the roads such as speeding and reckless driving which have caused so many accidents over the years. In addition to the law, there is an increased presence of traffic police on the roads, especially during rush hour. Many Organizations Converge to Improve Road-Safety -------------- -------------- ¶4. Essam Shahzadah from the Greater Amman Municipality (GAM) coordinates road safety initiatives with the Hikmat NGO and other partners. GAM has budgeted JD 3.5 million ($5 million) for traffic safety over the last year to almost double the number of traffic police to 2,000; install 32 closed circuit TVs and 3 radar cameras; and establish 2 traffic control centers at GAM and at the traffic police center. GAM has also spent roughly $200,000 on outreach materials. Some other recent GAM initiatives include: -- Launching a road traffic excellence center between GAM, Hikmat, the German University, and the Ministry of Municipal Affairs. Two professors from Germany (a psychologist and a traffic engineer) have also started training Jordanian public and private sectors members involved in traffic safety. -- Concluding agreements with private sector organizations such as General Motors, Jaguar, and Toyota to build pedestrian crossings, each at a cost of JD 25,000 ($35,000). -- Engaging New York Institute for Technology (NYIT) Graphic Design graduates to design posters and brochures on traffic safety that will be printed and published at GAM expense. NGOs Step Up Outreach -------------- ¶5. The Royal Health Awareness Society, under the patronage of Queen Rania, launched a traffic awareness campaign in April 2008. The Queen participated in a public march in May 2008 entitled KAFA, or "enough" to focus attention on the traffic safety challenges in Jordan. Hikmat for Road Safety is an initiative launched by a prominent Jordanian businessman whose son died in a traffic accident in January 2008. Hikmat is working on rehabilitation of schools and street zones based on a listing of the most dangerous roads in Jordan. The campaign is targeting 100 schools throughout the AMMAN 00003139 002 OF 002 kingdom, providing safer options for the children. Several business organizations now support Hikmat by sponsoring safety improvements at these locations. The Hikmat founder has established an annual scholarship for a Masters degree in road-safety for a Jordanian student at the University of Chicago. The increased outreach might be paying dividends: AMEN FM or "Safety" FM a radio station which links the public to special traffic police radio frequencies, has reported a significant increase in the number of citizens calling in observed traffic violations. Potential U.S. - Jordan Collaboration -------------- ¶6. Recognizing the importance of road safety for the economic growth and development of Jordan, the Jordan-U.S. Joint Committee on Science and Technology Cooperation identified road-traffic safety as an area of collaboration (ref B). ESTH has discussed road-traffic safety issues with the Jordan Traffic Institute (a division of the PSD),the GAM, and the 2 leading NGOs in this arena - Hikmat and the Royal Health Awareness Society. OES and the Embassy have proposed an initial DVC with key Jordanian stakeholders in the traffic safety arena to discuss potential collaboration. Several Jordanian stakeholders also met with OES Senior Advisor for Health at the Middle East Road Safety Partnership held in October in Doha. Challenges Remain -------------- ¶7. GAM's Shahzadah noted one of the biggest challenges in Jordan includes a lack of expertise - Jordan currently has only 4 traffic engineers. He applauded the significant drop in road fatalities in 2008 due to the focus on this issue from the King, and cautioned that longer term annual decreases of 7-8% are more sustainable. Col. Emad Hajarat, JTI Director, also believes the recent spike in road-safety gains in Jordan will flatten, in part due to weak interagency coordination, a lack of science-based decision making in developing traffic management policies, and the autonomy enjoyed by local police in setting town speed limits. Visit Amman's Classified Web Site at http://www.state.gov.sgov.gov/p/nea/amman/ BEECROFT