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Ecuador’s shocking high road fatality rate is giving cause for concern. Official statistics compiled by the World Health Organisation (WHO) suggest that Ecuador is second only to Venezuela in Latin America with regard to fatalities on the road network. The WHO figures show that Ecuador has an average of 28 deaths/100,000 inhabitants from road crashes, well above the global average of 18 deaths/100,000 inhabitants. Only Venezuela’s even more startling figure of 37 deaths/100,000 inhabitants is higher in Lati

Chinese firms Geely Automotive and Kandi have jointly developed an all-electric vehicle. The JL7001BEV model has won official approval from China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. This is of note as it means Chinese buyers of the vehicle will be able to benefit from several national and local subsidies and incentives for EVs. The new JL7001BEV model is among those on the lists of Approved Vehicles. The Chinese authorities are keen to encourage customers to buy more electric vehicles in a bi

Portuguese construction company Teixeira Duarte has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Venezuela Government formalising the commitment to build the new US$4.4 billion motorway linking Caracas - La Guaria. Of the overall 19km-long motorway link, 9km will be through road tunnels, while another 4km will be built in viaducts with three lanes in each direction. The works should be completed in 54 months. Teixeira Duarte also submitted a technical and economic proposal for the development of another fo

Australia’s New South Wales (NSW) Government has outlined its massive transportation investment in the WestConnex project. This will be the largest urban transport project in the history of New South Wales. Some A$1.8 billion will be invested over four years from Restart NSW, the state’s new infrastructure fund. to finance the WestConnex project. And A$111 million will be committed in 2013-14 to get work underway on the 33km motorway. The NSW Government will fund the initial sections of the motorway. Privat

Some US$15.6 million in federal emergency funds is being made available to Washington State to help repair the Interstate 5 bridge over the Skagit River, which collapsed on May 23rd 2013. The funds were released by US Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. A section of the four-lane bridge, located around 100km north of Seattle, collapsed into the water, disrupting travel in both directions. This funding follows $1 million in quick release emergency relief provided the day after the collapse. The Washington

The AXA RoadSafe report shows that although there has been a reduction in the number of children involved in road accidents in the UK in recent years, with the figure now standing at over 2,400 per year, there has been an increase in the proportion of those under the age of five being involved in accidents. Out of the children who are injured or killed, 14% are under the age of five, which compares to just 11% in 2001. This means that more than 300 children under the age of five are being injured or killed

The Hungarian national infrastructure development firm NIF has announced that work on a new stretch of the M44 motorway between Kondoros and Tiszakurt is set to begin in 2014. A public procurement tender for building the 62km route is forecast to be called by NIF in the near future. Investment costs are to be covered from EU funds in line with the country's Transportation Operative Programme (KOZOP) as part of Hungary's New Szechenyi Plan (USZT).

A report by the Swedish National Road and Transport Research Institute (VTI) claims that rumble strips on Swedish roads have reduced the number of accidents resulting in fatalities or serious injuries. Road edge rumble strips on motorways are said to have reduced accidents resulting in fatality or serious injury by 17% and for single accidents by 30%.

The Israeli Government is working on plans to ease traffic flow between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. Improvements are being made to two roads, Highway 443 and Highway 1. The upgrade works for Highway 1 will cost in the region of US$695 million and will be carried out by Israel National Roads/Netivei Israel. The work will see the construction of two new bridges measuring 800m long apiece and featuring three lanes each as well as two 700m tunnels under the Harel Bridge. Also included are new interchanges in Harel,