Skip to main content

Safety on the New Silk Road in Kazakhstan

Safety on the New Silk Graduates of the IRF Fellowship Program have contributed to a landmark study produced by the Center for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS) aimed at minimising the socio-economic costs of road accidents in Kazakhstan. Asia’s infrastructure push offers opportunities to minimise road crashes, which cost many developing countries 2-5% of GDP each year. To help set priorities that address connectivity and safety, this study analysed 13,000km of highways, or 13.4% of the Kazakhstan
October 23, 2017 Read time: 1 min

Graduates of the 2462 IRF Fellowship Program have contributed to a landmark study produced by the Center for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS) aimed at minimising the socio-economic costs of road accidents in Kazakhstan.

Asia’s infrastructure push offers opportunities to minimise road crashes, which cost many developing countries 2-5% of GDP each year. To help set priorities that address connectivity and safety, this study analysed 13,000km of highways, or 13.4% of the Kazakhstan highway network. Within this sample, most roads were undivided with two lanes and rated below "good" condition. Most crashes were found to be related to infrastructure deficiencies and non-compliance of the drivers to traffic rules and regulations. A series of maps identifies priority areas for improvement. Building on this analysis and a review of best practices, cost-effective infrastructure measures are recommended for improving connectivity and road safety.

Related Content

  • Environmental solutions for tomorrow's roads
    August 2, 2012
    Leading the change, IRF organises its 2nd Conference on Roads & Environment in Geneva, Switzerland on 10-11 November 2008 An opinion poll in the UK at the end of June showed that more people think their government should first try to tackle environmental issues before trying to tackle global economic problems. Two-thirds of people were even in favour of green taxes, either now or when economic conditions improve. The environment remains high on the agenda in most countries, including in those where public o
  • John Hopkins report: iRAP boosts safety
    May 17, 2024
    A paper and report from Johns Hopkins University suggests that 700,000 deaths and severe injuries have been prevented through road safety projects using the International Road Assessment Programme (iRAP) methodology.
  • Success of toll road operators' conference
    July 12, 2012
    The 37th ASECAP Annual Study and Information Days held in Krakow, Poland, gathered some 300 road transport CEOs, experts and government decision-makers making the event "a huge success." Patrick Smith reports Toll road operators from across Europe have met to discuss the state of their businesses in the current economic climate and how to tackle it. Fabrizio Palenzona, the outgoing President of ASECAP (the European professional Association of Operators of Toll Road Infrastructures) and president of AISCAT (
  • IRF Far East road safety training
    February 8, 2012
    For the past two decades, road safety advocates have faced an uphill battle of convincing governments of the very real epidemic of road fatalities and to invest resources to combat the carnage. And after several years of awareness campaigns, most, if not all, public road officials now agree that the world's roads must be safer.