Road Safety Program Works to Save Lives
Every 30 seconds, a person is killed in a road crash.
Around the world, road traffic crashes cause 1.2 million deaths and 50 million injuries per year. Of those casualties, more than half are in the 15 to 44 age group — the key wage-earning and child-raising group. The loss of the main wage earner can cause many households to fall into poverty. Without preventative action, it is estimated that road traffic crashes will be the world’s third-leading cause of disease and injury by the year 2020.
Source: World Health Organization
To address this health challenge, Chevron created the Arrive Alive program to help eliminate traffic-related fatalities and injuries in the communities where we operate. At Chevron, protecting the health and safety of our employees and all those who work on our behalf is our highest priority. Safe roads not only help preserve the health and safety of our workforce and the reliability of our operations, but also benefit the people in those communities.
Working with government agencies, nongovernmental organizations, trade associations and other private-sector companies, Chevron has formed or joined collaborative nonprofit entities to help develop and implement road safety action plans. These efforts seek to create solutions through advocacy, enforcement, education and communication that address the root causes of road traffic incidents in several communities that host our operations.
Guatemala
Chevron has partnered with ConPreve, the Rotary Club's nonprofit organization dedicated to road safety. A number of initiatives are under way, including those to help draft revised traffic regulations and aid in identifying and correcting problems at hazardous locations where severe accidents frequently occur.
In December 2006, ConPreve launched an education campaign to raise awareness about the dangers of drinking and driving. The ConPreve team took to the streets, distributing educational materials and administering sobriety tests to nightclub patrons.
Nigeria
The Arrive Alive Road Safety Initiative (AARSI) was established by Chevron and a coalition of private sector companies to address the country's severe traffic issues. In 2005, approximately 15,000 fatalities and 28,500 injuries occurred in traffic accidents. AARSI seeks to address the low awareness of safe driving behavior, inadequate enforcement of laws and limited laws within the country. The initiative also seeks to help improve driving skills. Critical road safety issues include: impaired driving, speeding, pedestrian safety, motorcycle safety and uncorrected "danger spots."
In September 2006, AARSI successfully collaborated with government agencies and Parliament to draft and adopt new motorcycle safety regulations for motorcycle taxis. These new regulations limit taxis to specific routes and operating hours, allow only one passenger per motorcycle, and mandate safety apparel for drivers and passengers.
South Africa
Last year, pedestrian fatalities accounted for over 40 percent of the country's more than 12,000 fatal road accidents. Chevron is partnering with the South Africa Petroleum Industry Association to help implement an industrywide road safety awareness effort targeting pedestrian safety. Derived from a live performance style called "slam poetry," the campaign uses attention-grabbing messages set in a rhythmic, poetic style for radio, print ads and billboards and signage on buses and taxis.
Uganda
Chevron has partnered with 11 companies to form the Arrive Alive Uganda coalition to help improve road safety. The coalition seeks to address solutions to impaired driving, speeding management, pedestrian safety, motorcycle safety and "hot spot" improvements.
Chevron also has joined the Global Road Safety Partnership, an international organization dedicated to building partnerships between governments, government agencies, businesses and civil society organizations to address road safety issues in developing countries.
Through the Arrive Alive program, Chevron is committed to working closely with private-sector companies, local governments, trade associations, nongovernmental organizations, international donor and development agencies, and all other parties that share the same goal of saving lives. Together, they seek to address gaps in enforcement, advocacy and education to help create long-term, sustainable improvements in road safety.
Updated: September 2007