Image source: Dreamstime
According to iRAP Vaccines for Roads data,1 more than 16,000 people
die on Tanzania’s roads each year at an annual cost of fatalities and
serious injuries of USD$4 billion – 8% of its Gross Domestic Product
(GDP). Without action, 160,000 people will die in the decade to 2030
at a cost of US$40 billion to the Tanzanian community. The cost in
heartache to families is immeasurable.
A TANZANIA FREE OF HIGH-RISK ROADS
The Tanzania Road Assessment Programme (TanRAP) is a locally owned
and led programme of the International Road Assessment Programme
(iRAP), a global charity operating in over 100 countries. TanRAP has been
established through local leadership of local experts and aims to produce
local results and local impact. TanRAP launched on 14 September 2022
as part of the deliverables of the Tanzania Ten Step Project. Tanzania
was the first country in the world to use the United Nations Road Safety
Collaboration (UNRSC) Ten Step Plan approach.2
The Ten Step Project, jointly funded by the United Nations Road Safety
Fund (UNRSF), the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office
(UKAid) and the Global Road Safety Facility of the World Bank (GRSF),
brings together the Government of Tanzania through the Ministry
of Works and Transport (MoWT), Tanzania National Roads Agency
(TANROADS) and Tanzania Rural and Urban Roads Agency (TARURA),
as well as the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa
(UNECA), International Road Federation (IRF), World Road Association
(PIARC), iRAP, Tanzania Road Association (TARA), research institutions,
NGOs and industry stakeholders.
Hosted by the Ministry of Works and Transport, TanRAP aims to address
the highest risk roads in the country in partnership with national
government agencies, development banks, mobility clubs, research
institutions, road safety NGOs and industry. Through TanRAP, the Ten
Step Project will grow the length of existing roads and designs assessed
to more than 10,000 km by March 2023 and build on the more than
USD$1 billion of road infrastructure investment already made safer
through iRAP assessments.
Achieving >75% of travel on 3-star or better roads for all
road users in Tanzania by 2030 will save 1.6 million lives
and serious injuries over the 20 year life of treatments with
an economic benefit of $26 for every $1 spent.3
Safer roads save lives
A PLAN FOR SUCCESS
Safe road infrastructure is a key focus of the Global Plan for the Decade of
Action for Road Safety 2021-20304 alongside safe road use, safe vehicles,
multimodal transport and land-use planning, and post-crash response.
The Global Plan sets out how countries can achieve the United Nations’
12 Global Road Safety Performance Targets,5 of which Targets 3 and 4
pertain to road infrastructure.
3
2030
Target 3: By 2030, all new
roads achieve technical
standards for all road
users that take into
account road safety, or
meet a three star rating
or better.
4
2030
Target 4: By 2030, more
than 75% of travel on
existing roads is on roads
that meet technical
standards for all road
users that take into
account road safety.
In Tanzania, UN Targets 3 and 4 can be achieved by:
• A shared commitment by stakeholders including the MoWT, TANROADS,
TARURA ,TARA, National Institute of Transport (NIT), Road Safety
Ambassadors (RSA), Roads Fund Board (RFB), local governments,
industry and development banks to put risk assessments at the heart of
strategic decision making, road design, construction and management
• Building local capability through road safety engineering and Road
Safety Audits training, and iRAP training and accreditation to perform
TanRAP assessments and build 3-star or better roads
• Performing systematic Road Safety Audits and road safety assessments
to identify the highest-risk roads
• Implementing evidence-based, affordable safety treatments on a
large-scale and institutionalising the 3-star or better road standard
• Ensuring road infrastructure investment across the country is informed
by iRAP assessments
• Working with road authorities to review National Road Design Standards
• Developing a road safety focussed strategy and action plan and
ensuring it is delivered
• Ensuring road designs achieve a 3-star or better standard before
construction commences and ensuring no new 1 or 2-star roads are built.
irap.org
Image source: Pixabay
ACHIEVEMENTS SINCE 2010
Year
Achievement
2010
Automobile Association of Tanzania (AAT), MoWT, and
TANROADS, supported by iRAP, assessed 3,100km of
the country’s highest risk road network and developed a
Safer Roads Investment Plan to improve the safety of the
TANROADS network.
2018
Through the 2015 to 2019 Bloomberg Philanthropies
Initiative for Global Road Safety (BIGRS), 152km of the
Bus Rapid Transit network in Dar-es-Salaam, 141km of
post construction assessments, 3,652km of the existing
National Roads Network and 2,456km of Designs on
National Roads were assessed. iRAP recommendations for
the 141km stretch were adopted and 151 people trained. It
was estimated that more than 151,800 potential deaths and
serious injuries could be prevented over the 20-year life of
treatments if the recommendations are applied. A number of
road upgrades are being informed by iRAP assessments.
2019
Through the BIGRS, the World Bank Global Road Safety
Facility (GRSF) engaged iRAP to work with local road
agencies TANROADS and TARURA to explore how the iRAP
methodology could be embedded within their road asset
management systems (RMMS) and maintenance processes
to eliminate high-risk roads. TANROADS is upgrading their
RMMS to undertake iRAP assessments with data collected
for Asset Management.
2020
Supported by BIGRS and World Bank GRSF, iRAP undertook
a Star Rating of the Tanzania Road Geometric Design Manual
2011 to gain insight into the likely Star Ratings that could
result from implementing road projects in line with the
Standard Cross Sections.
2020
to
Sept
2022
Since the Ten Step Project commenced in 2020, the
development of a National Road Infrastructure Safety
Strategy and Action Plan and review of the National
Road Design Standards in line with the UN Global Road
Safety Performance Targets is ongoing. A comprehensive
training programme has been delivered with 539 people
receiving training, 16 of which have attained iRAP Supplier
Accreditation and 15 as Road Safety Audit Observers.
Ongoing evaluation will inform the development of a
National Training, Accreditation and Certification Scheme.
The TanRAP programme launched in September 2022
and iRAP assessments on 1,830km of existing and
upgraded roads, as well as designs, have commenced.
2021
AAT received an FIA School Assessment Programme Grant to
improve the safety of school journeys, using the FIA School
Assessment Toolkit supported by iRAP’s Star Ratings for
Schools Programme (SR4S).
THE CURRENT NATIONAL PICTURE
When Tanzania’s road crash deaths are divided by road user category,
drivers and passengers of 4-wheeled cars and light vehicles represent
38% of the total fatalities, while riders of motorized 2 and 3-wheelers
represent 23%. Pedestrians and cyclists represent 30% and 8% of road
crash fatalities respectively.
Deaths by road user category in Tanzania (WHO, 2018)6
Other <1%
Pedestrians 30%
Drivers of 4-wheeled
cars and light
vehicles 8%
Passengers of 4-wheeled
cars and light
vehicles 30%
Cyclists 8%
Riders of motorized
2- and 3-wheelers 23%
Road trauma presents an enormous public health challenge for Tanzania.
In 2018, iRAP assessments were carried out on 3,652km of baselines
and 2,455km of World Bank-financed road design projects in Tanzania
to determine the safety built in to both existing roads and proposed road
upgrades. iRAP discovered:
• 98% of roads with speeds above 40km/h (25mph) and a presence of
pedestrians have no footpath
• 100% of roads with speeds above 40km/h (25mph) and a presence of
bicyclists have no bicycle facilities
• 100% of roads with high motorcycle flows have no motorcycle facilities
• 100% of roads carrying traffic at 80km/h (50mph) are undivided single
carriageways
• 91% of curves where traffic flows at 80km/h (50mph) have hazardous
roadsides
• 99% of intersections where traffic flows at 60km/h (40mph) or more
have no roundabout, turn lanes or interchanges
The 2018 iRAP design assessments also identified that proven road
safety countermeasures will reduce road trauma risk and have a high
return on investment.
Many countermeasures are simple and costeffective e.g. the installation of a Central Median
Barrier along 113km could prevent over 2,700
deaths and serious injuries over 20 years.
A Tanzania Free of High-risk Roads
Two local engineers selected out of 60 road safety practitioners
from 24 countries to receive a grant to complete iRAP training,
with the potential to gain iRAP Accreditation. The grants were
awarded through iRAP’s 2021 Low- and Middle-income Country
Grants Programme.
By
Sept
2022
Across a range of projects, over 1300 local road safety
professionals and engineers have participated in events and
training with iRAP content.
STAR RATING AND SAFER ROADS INVESTMENT PLAN PROCESS
• Safety treatments
• Estimate of deaths and severe
injuries prevented
• Economic assessment
2. Road Condition
Source: https://www.vida.irap.org/
SR4D
Supporting Data
Road Inspection
3. Safer Roads
Investment Plan (SRIP)
Post Construction
Star Rating
Supporting data like
traffic flow and vehicle
operating speed (85th
percentile speed).
1. Star Rating
Implementation
Star Rating of
Design
Recording of more
than 50 attributes for
each 100 metre road
segment.
ViDA online software
Detailed
Planning
Collection of video
or images and
GPS coordinates.
Road Coding
Data Collection
THE IRAP METHODOLOGY INFORMING TANRAP
What is a Star Rating?
What is a Safer Roads Investment Plan (SRIP)?
• Star Ratings are based on road inspection data and provide a simple
and objective measure of the level of safety which is ‘built-in’ to the road
for vehicle occupants, motorcyclists, bicyclists and pedestrians.
• A Safer Roads Investment Plan (SRIP) is a prioritised list of
countermeasures that can cost-effectively improve Star Ratings and
reduce infrastructure-related risk. The plan is based on an economic
analysis of a range of countermeasures, which is undertaken by
comparing the cost of implementing the countermeasures with the
reduction in crash costs that would result from its implementation.
The plan contains extensive planning and engineering information
such as road attribute records, countermeasure proposals and
economic assessments for 100m segments of a road network.
• The plan also provides an estimate of how many lives and serious
injuries are likely to be saved along with an economic analysis, if the
suggested treatments are implemented.
• 5-star roads are the safest while 1-star roads are the least safe. Star
Ratings can be completed worldwide, in urban and rural areas and
without reference to detailed crash data, which is often unavailable in
low- and middle-income countries. The safest roads (4- and 5-star)
have road safety attributes that are appropriate for the prevailing traffic
speeds. These might include separation of opposing traffic by a wide
median, pedestrian crossings and footpaths, forgiving roadsides and
safe intersections such as roundabouts.
ROAD ATTRIBUTES WE RECORD AND MEASURE
Footpath
Delineation
Road user and
traffic mix
Shoulders
Road condition
Road geometry
Speed limit and
operating speed
Roadsides
No. of lanes
Lane width
Image source: iRAP
Road side
barriers
Median
irap.org
Image source: Dreamstime
LET’S MAKE TANZANIA
FREE OF HIGH-RISK ROADS
TAKE ACTION NOW!
HOW YOU CAN GET INVOLVED
FOR MORE INFORMATION
• Work with TanRAP to establish a road assessment project in your
locality and set policies to maximize travel on 3-star or better roads
Eng. Musa Kashinde
• Develop a partnership of local stakeholders to actively contribute to
programme leadership technical, communication and road upgrade
activities in your area
Ministry of Works and Transport
• Build a knowledge of existing work and safer roads investment
completed or underway across Tanzania and add your expertise to
ensure roads are upgraded and made safer
Racheal Nganwa
• Undertake iRAP training to build globally recognised skills and knowledge
Email: racheal.nganwa@irap.org
Head of Department, Road Safety and Environment
Email: musa.kashinde@mow.go.tz
AfricaRAP Lead
International Road Assessment Programme (iRAP)
• Become an iRAP Accredited Supplier
• Develop local research programmes to build an evidence base on the
impact of road features on crash outcomes across Tanzania
• Become an advocate for safer roads, support the need for 3-star or
better roads and help celebrate road investment that saves lives
• Sign up to receive iRAP newsletters at irap.org/media-centre/stayinformed/ to hear more about TanRAP and global safer roads activities
• Contact us to discuss how we can work together to support your
initiatives to improve road safety
On the safety of Tanzania’s roads, the road attributes that matter and the
Business Case for Safer Roads, visit https://www.vaccinesforroads.org/
irap-big-data-tool/
On the Ten Step Tanzania Project, visit https://www.gtkp.com/ten-stepproject-tanzania
To download the Ten Step Plan for Safer Road Infrastructure,
visit https://www.gtkp.com/ten-step-project-tanzania
Safer roads
save lives
TanRAP is proudly managed by:
Host and
Coordinator
with the technical
support of
Ministry of Works
and Transport
Tanzania (MoWT)
Tanzania Road
Association
(TARA)
Ten Step Tanzania Project Partners:
TanRAP
Programme Leads
National Institute of
Transport (NIT)
(Technical Lead)
Road Safety
Ambassadors (RSA)
(Communications Lead)
President’s Office Regional
Administration and Local
Government (PO-RALG)
Roads Fund
Board (RFB)
(Road Upgrade Lead)
Tanzania Rural
and Urban
Roads Agency
(TARURA)
Tanzania
National
Roads Agency
(TANROADS)
Funded by:
REFERENCES
1
2
3
4
5
6
iRAP (2020). Vaccines for Roads iRAP Big Data Tool. Retrieved from https://www.vaccinesforroads.org/irap-big-data-tool/. Accessed 23 May 2022.
United Nations Road Safety Collaboration (2019). Ten Step Plan for Safer Road Infrastructure. Retrieved from https://www.gtkp.com/knowledge.php&knowledgeid=23523
iRAP (2020). Vaccines for Roads iRAP Big Data Tool. Retrieved from https://www.vaccinesforroads.org/irap-big-data-tool/. Accessed 23 May 2022.
World Health Organisation. (2022). Global plan for the decade of action for road safety 2021-2030. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.who.int/publications/m/item/global-plan-forthe-decade-of-action-for-road-safety-2021-2030
United Nations General Assembly. (2019). Global Road Safety Performance Targets. Retrieved from https://cdn.who.int/media/docs/default-source/documents/health-topics/roadtraffic-injuries/12globalroadsafetytargets.pdf?sfvrsn=140e638b_22&download=true
World Health Organisation (2018). Global Status Report on Road Safety 2018. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789241565684
Safer roads save lives
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