The ATO road safety profiles offer insights into the road safety in 28 Asia-Pacific countries by utilizing road safety related data from various sources and policy information extracted from a range of documents.

The profiles were created by the Asian Transport Observatory —in collaboration with the Asia Pacific Road Safety Observatory (APRSO), and the International Road Federation (IRF)— as an input to global discussions on road safety, in time for the Fourth Global Ministerial Conference on Road Safety in Marrakech, Morocco.

Road safety remains a significant public health and development challenge in Armenia. While progress has been made in recent years, the country still faces a considerable burden of road traffic crashes, fatalities, and injuries. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimated approximately 400 fatalities in Armenia due to road crashes in 2021, highlighting the ongoing severity of the issue. Road crash injuries also accounted for 1.1% of all deaths in the country that same year. This situation underscores the urgent need for continued efforts to improve road safety measures, infrastructure, and user behavior to protect the lives and well-being of Armenian citizens.

There is no significant discrepancy between the number of road crash fatalities reported by different sources in Armenia. However, ensuring data consistency and robustness of reporting mechanisms is crucial for evidence-based policymaking.

Analyzing disaggregated data provides valuable insights into the specific patterns and risk factors associated with road crashes in Armenia. The share of females in road crash fatalities decreased from 25% in 2010 to 19% in 2021, a positive trend, though still highlighting the disproportionate impact on men. According to the Global Burden of Disease statistics, the combined share of minors (under 14 years old) and seniors (over 65 years old) in road crash fatalities remained at a concerning 34% between 2015 and 2019, indicating the vulnerability of these age groups. Furthermore, the estimated share of pedestrians in total road traffic crash fatalities, as reported by WHO, was 32% in 2021, suggesting a significant risk for these vulnerable road users.

The economic consequences of road traffic crashes in Armenia are substantial. In 2021, these fatalities and serious injuries cost an estimated 491 million USD, representing roughly 4% of Armenia's GDP. This figure is particularly concerning when compared to the country's healthcare expenditure, which amounted to 12.3% of its GDP in the same year.

Road crashes also make up a significant portion (82%) of the total implicit costs associated with fossil fuel subsidies in transport, further highlighting their economic impact. IRAP (International Road Assessment Programme) estimates that an annual investment of 27 million USD, just 0.2% of Armenia's GDP, could potentially save about 100 lives annually. This underscores the significant economic benefits of investing in road safety measures.

Armenia's road safety performance can be assessed by looking at various indicators. Notably, the country had about 14 fatalities per thousand kilometers of road. Information regarding infrastructure ratings in Armenia is limited. Understanding road infrastructure safety is critical for targeted improvements and reducing crash severity.

Data on motorization rates in Armenia is not available. An increase in motorization without corresponding improvements in road safety infrastructure, enforcement, and driver education often leads to a rise in road traffic crashes.

Comparing Armenia's road safety performance with regional and global benchmarks reveals areas for improvement. The road traffic crash fatality rate of 13.6 per 100,000 population in 2021, while lower than the Asia-Pacific average of 15.2 and the Central and West Asia average of 13.1, still indicates a need for further progress. Armenia experienced a 12% decrease in fatalities per 100,000 population between 2010 and 2021 (from 16.1 to 13.6), outperforming the reduction seen in Central and West Asia (-12%) and slightly better than the Asia-Pacific region (-19%).

• Urgent action needed to reduce road fatalities The Decade of Action for Road Safety 2021-2030 aims to cut road fatalities in half by 2030. An annual reduction of at least 7.4% is necessary to achieve this.
• Asia-Pacific region falling behind Despite reaching a peak in road crash fatalities, the Asia-Pacific region is not on track to meet the 2030 goal. The average annual reduction in deaths between 2016 and 2021 was only 0.6%, far below the required rate.
• Varying progress across Asia Using the 2016-2021 road crash fatality growth rate as a basis for estimates until 2030:
  • Only 3 Asian countries are projected to achieve the 50% reduction target by 2030.
  • 18 Asian countries are expected to reduce fatalities by at least 25%.
  • Worryingly, 7 Asian countries will continue to increase road fatalities, moving further away from the target.
• In Armenia, road crash fatalities decreased by approximately -5.4% per year between 2016 and 2021. However, this is not enough to reach the 2030 target to halve the fatalities by 2030

While no explicit road safety targets exist, several policy documents indirectly address road safety, such as the Armenia Transport Sector Development Strategy 2020 and the 2021-2026 Action Plan. These documents focus on general capacity building, transport asset management, and investment in transportation infrastructure, all of which can contribute to improved road safety. Additionally, the Law of the Republic of Armenia "About traffic safety" provides a legal framework for road safety.

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