Global economic costs of accidents estimated at USD 500 billion worldwide

Speaking to the media at ROADEX 2004 - the Abu Dhabi International Road Exhibition & Conference, Mr. Westerhuis said, "Road accidents cost between 1% and 3% of a country's Gross National Product (GNP) and road safety can be achieved only if all the component parts of the road transport system including road users, vehicles as well as infrastructure are effectively addressed".

"The number of road fatalities annually will be between 1 million and 1.3 million over the next 10 to twenty years. Road traffic accidents will be the third leading cause of disease and injury and the sixth leading cause of death in the world by 2020. Road safety clearly an extremely important issue that needs the urgent attention of vehicle users, manufacturers as well as authorities" Mr. Westerhuis said, quoting statistics from an IRF white paper on ROAD SAFETY.

Mr. Westerhuis also went on to point that an event such as ROADEX 2004 was important to the whole industry as it would play a critical role in highlighting all aspects of the road industry in the region as well as help in bringing about enhanced dialogue between all concerned parties.

Mr. Westerhuis also called for the relationship between road authorities and users to be based on the supplier-customer business model which should be reflected in the designing of road infrastructure.

The International Road Federation is a non-government, not-for-profit organization with public and private sector members in some 70 countries. It was established in 1948 following World War II, by business and industry leaders who recognised the need for an international organization to focus on the growing economic and social importance of good road networks.