Road safety data plays a critical role in identifying risks, prioritizing interventions, and improving road safety outcomes. However, in many countries, data remains fragmented across institutions and is not consistently used to inform investment and policy decisions. This project aims to strengthen road safety management by supporting the development and implementation of Road Safety Data Systems (RSDS) within road concessions and other long-term road management contracts. Implemented by UN-Habitat, UNECE, and UNOPS, the initiative will support six countries across Africa, Asia, Eurasia, and the Americas to develop standards, strengthen institutional capacity, and pilot sustainable approaches to data-driven road safety management.

Many concessioned roads already collect operational and safety-related data, yet contractual frameworks rarely establish clear requirements for analysing data, implementing evidence-based interventions, or financing road safety improvements. As a result, opportunities to prevent crashes and improve safety performance are often missed. The absence of common standards and sustainable financing mechanisms further limits the ability of governments and road operators to use data effectively.

The project will address these challenges by developing guidance and contractual frameworks that support the integration of Road Safety Data Systems into concession agreements. It will strengthen collaboration among transport authorities, road operators, police, health agencies, and other stakeholders to improve the collection, analysis, and use of road safety data. Pilot activities will demonstrate how data can be translated into targeted interventions that improve road safety outcomes and support long-term investment in safer roads.

By embedding road safety data requirements into long-term infrastructure contracts, the project aims to establish sustainable mechanisms that strengthen accountability, support evidence-based decision-making, and facilitate the scaling of successful approaches. Lessons learned will be shared through regional and global networks to support replication in other countries and road networks.