Road traffic injuries remain a major public health and development challenge across Africa, disproportionately affecting pedestrians, cyclists, and users of powered two-wheelers. Vulnerable road users account for more than half of all road traffic fatalities on the continent, while motorcycle-related deaths continue to rise as motorcycles become an increasingly important mode of transport in rapidly growing urban areas. Despite the scale of the challenge, many countries lack the quality, consistency, and level of disaggregation in crash data needed to understand risks, identify priority interventions, and track progress. Persistent gaps in reporting, victim profiling, collision analysis, and data integration limit the ability of governments and cities to develop evidence-based policies and investments that effectively protect those most at risk. 

The project will address these challenges by strengthening road safety data systems for vulnerable road users in Uganda, Cameroon, and Mozambique. Led by UN-Habitat in partnership with UNEP, UNECA, and the Africa Road Safety Observatory (ARSO), the initiative will support the collection, analysis, and application of high-quality road safety data at regional, national, and city levels. The project responds directly to the need for harmonized methodologies and stronger institutional capacities to generate reliable evidence for decision-making and policy development. 

At the regional level, the project will support the development and promotion of standardized indicators and methodologies for vulnerable road user safety, aligned with ARSO, WHO guidance, and the Pan-African Action Plan for Active Mobility (PAAPAM). It will also facilitate knowledge exchange and peer learning among African countries to strengthen regional coordination on road safety data. 

At the national level, the project will build institutional capacity through training, technical support, and the integration of vulnerable road user indicators into government data systems. In Uganda, Cameroon, and Mozambique, detailed collision matrices will be developed to improve understanding of interactions between pedestrians, cyclists, and powered two-wheelers and to support the integration of enhanced datasets into road safety policies and strategies. 

At the city level, pilot initiatives in Kampala, Mbale, Yaoundé, Douala, Maputo, and Nampula will strengthen crash data collection through digital and participatory approaches, helping authorities identify high-risk locations and better understand local road safety challenges. The resulting evidence will inform road safety and active mobility planning while generating practical lessons for wider replication. 

By improving the availability, quality, and use of road safety data, the project will strengthen road safety management systems and enable governments and cities to design more targeted interventions to protect vulnerable road users and reduce road traffic deaths and injuries across Africa.