Project purpose
Implement the recommendations of the joint CNPAC, DTRSR, SWOV and RDW initiative to improve road safety in Morocco. As a follow up of this study, knowledge transfer and various capacity building activities can contribute to get road safety in Morocco to a next level. The activities involve an integrated approach and further co-operation between different government organisations within Morocco that are relevant for road safety, with a focus on capacity building on two selected topics: road safety management, and enforcement. See “Activies” below, for a more specific description of the activities, in which also co-operation with Dutch (commercial) partners is intended.
The magnitude of road casualties and injuries is estimated to be approximately 2% of the GNP. Vulnerable road users – pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists account for a much greater proportion of road traffic collisions in low-income and middle-income countries than in high income countries.
This project is meant to stimulate both economic development, good governance and development of the rule of law. The project will encourage cooperation within and between central and local governments and contribute to a well-defined and clear government policy and regulation on traffic security and its enforcement. Traffic offenders will be well aware of their rights and duties and punishment will be deemed fair. In this context, the sensitive issue of corruption will be addressed, but in an indirect manner, e.g. through introducing alternative ways of law enforcement, eg through rewarding of good behaviour in traffic instead of through fines.
Project results
R1: Contribute to a dedicated and well defined road safety research programme, backed by sustainable funding sources and carried out by dedicated research staff in a functioning lead agency, as part of a comprehensive road safety strategy based on harder targets, both in terms of crashes and intermediate outcomes together with a critical offences monitoring strategy and program. This, in turn, will contribute to a clear government policy on road safety. Better cooperation between the relevant Moroccan government bodies, from research and policy development to implementation and control is key to achieve this result. Since this result is strongly dependent on high level cooperation of Moroccan authorities, some uncertainty in obtaining the result must be reckoned with.
R2: Contribute to improved road worthiness of the Moroccan vehicle fleet.
R3: A clearer insight into what extent drivers and vehicle owners can avoid fines for violating the traffic rules and other enforcing measures and to what extent this frustrates the enforcement process, thereby contributing to a more comprehensive law enforcement. Traffic offenders will be well aware of their rights and duties and punishment will be deemed fair. In this context, the sensitive issue of corruption will be addressed, but in an indirect manner, e.g. through introducing alternative ways of law enforcement, eg through rewarding of good behaviour in traffic in stead of through fines.
R4: Study visit to the Netherlands on R1, R2 and R3.
Location
Rabat, Morocco
Executor
RDW Centrum voor Voertuigtechniek en Informatie
Theme/Sector
Transport
Budget
€ 59,962
Project status
Implementation phase
Project activities
In cooperation with the Moroccan counterparts, the following activities are proposed.
Result 1 Contribution to a dedicated and well defined road safety research programme
- Training on road safety management skills
Result 2 Contribute to improved road worthiness of the Moroccan fleet
- Training sessions on Periodical Technical Inspection
- Training session on the admittance to the road of repaired vehicles that were heavily damaged. Vehicle dynamics and thus safety is determined by the quality of repair. Control of repaired vehicles -given the average vehicle age and the quality level of repair, is likely to contribute to road safety.
- Workshop
When vehicles are offered for approval, the technical vehicle details need to be verified. This is difficult without reliable sources such as for instance European Type approval database. RDW offers to assist in setting up a high quality registration system.
Result 3 Contribute to more comprehensive law enforcement
- Workshop in Rabat
With regard to vehicle registration and enforcement it was observed that vehicle owners and drivers seem to be able to find opportunities to escape their obligations like paying fines. As a consequence enforcement measures are less efficient. The legal basis for improvement of the cooperation between the various parties involved in the vehicle chain should be explored and enforcement bodies should have online access to all relevant data, 24/7. RDW and SWOV offer assistance to investigate the extent of drivers and vehicle owners can avoid fines and other enforcing measures; investigated to what extent this frustrates enforcement; investigate possible improvements like tightening the legal basis for enforcement, improved data- exchange and access to data for all authorities involved and/or improvement of the relevant registrations like connecting the registration of vehicle holders/owners and the central population register. It is suggested that RDW experts analyse the current situation and come up with process improvements. (3 days with 2 people in Rabat. Including a presentation of the conclusion and a report).
In this context, the sensitive issue of corruption will be addressed, but in an indirect manner, e.g. through introducing alternative ways of law enforcement, eg through rewarding of good behaviour in traffic in stead of through fines.
Result 4. Study visit on R1, R2 and R3.
- Study visit
A study visit on RS management to the Netherlands; for example a visit to policy makers in the Dutch Ministries, visit to one or more cities or regions in the Netherlands who also have their own safety plans.
Particular attention will be given to Road safety development in urban areas. The CNPAC is about to develop in 2015 a reference guide for road safety development in urban areas with 14 components on behalf of local authorities and it would be wise to see how the decision of road safety improvements is taken in the Netherlands.
The CNPAC is programing to create starting from year 2015 an educational centre for road safety in the province of Benslimane and will be benefit to see how test centrum RDW is working (0,5 days visit)
It is also intended to involve the Dutch Association of Municipalities (VNG international) and other interested Dutch municipalities in Moroccan initiatives such as those planned by the communities El Jadida and Casa on smart-city pilots (and who will visit the Netherlands in 2015, in principle separate from this).