The UN Road Safety Fund (UNRSF) is the UN’s only multi-partner trust fund dedicated exclusively to coordinating the delivery of system-wide, on-the-ground support to Member States on road safety, advancing SDG 3.6. Through unified action across the UN system and beyond,  securing partnerships with the World Bank’s Global Road Safety Facility (GRSF), private sector leaders such as Autoliv, and national institutions including MIROS, UNRSF drives coordinated, high-impact delivery — translating global standards into measurable results.

This week, partners convened for the inception meeting of the Star Rating for Safer Motorcycles in Southeast Asia — a three-year initiative designed to strengthen motorcycle safety across the region.

With UNESCAP as the lead agency, the project roadmap was presented, confirming Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, and Malaysia as the first participating countries. The initiative will establish a regional Motorcycle Assessment Programme aligned with UN regulations, giving consumers clearer information and supporting governments in raising safety standards.

GRSF highlighted the rapid growth of commercial motorcycles — including ride-hailing and delivery fleets — as a fast-expanding but largely unregulated sector. While these services drive job creation, safety must be part of that growth. The star rating programme offers an opportunity to engage companies and promote safer fleets.

Autoliv emphasized the importance of including passive safety technologies within the ASEAN MyMAP framework. MIROS, which has already assessed 40 motorcycle models, brings strong technical experience to support implementation.

By aligning regulation, market incentives, and industry engagement, this collective effort aims to accelerate safer motorcycle adoption and deliver measurable reductions in motorcycle-related fatalities across Southeast Asia.