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 in Lao PDR presents a complex challenge. While progress has been made in reducing road traffic fatalities, the country still faces a higher burden of road crashes than regional averages. In 2021, an estimated 1,000 people lost their lives due to road crashes in Lao PDR, representing 2.2% of all deaths. This narrative explores the current status of road safety in Lao PDR, examining data discrepancies, disaggregated data insights, economic costs, and the policy landscape.

A notable discrepancy exists in reported road crash fatality numbers. While country statistics reported approximately 12.6 fatalities per 100,000 population in 2022, the Global Burden of Disease estimated about 14.9 fatalities per 100,000 population in 2021. Meanwhile WHO estimates 16.4 per 100,000 population. This difference highlights the challenges in accurately capturing and reporting road crash data, which can hinder effective road safety interventions.

Analyzing disaggregated data reveals crucial insights into the demographics of road crash victims. Between 2010 and 2021, the share of female fatalities decreased slightly from 28% to 26%. While this is a positive trend, it's essential to understand the factors contributing to female road crash involvement. The combined share of fatalities among minors (<14 years) and seniors (>65 years) changed marginally from 26% to 25% between 2015 and 2019. Pedestrians and bicyclists constitute 13% of total fatalities in 2021, a significantly lower proportion than the Asia-Pacific average of 31%. This could indicate a potential underreporting of pedestrian and cyclist casualties or a need for more focused interventions for these vulnerable road users.

Road crashes impose a substantial economic burden on Lao PDR. In 2021, the estimated cost of fatalities and serious injuries reached approximately 822 million USD, equivalent to 4% of the country's GDP. This surpasses the healthcare expenditure of 2.7% of GDP in the same year, highlighting the significant strain road crashes place on the economy.

Furthermore, road crashes account for 74% of the implicit costs associated with fossil fuel subsidies in transport. Investing in road safety is a humanitarian imperative and an economically sound decision. IRAP estimates that an annual investment of 124 million USD (0.7% of GDP) could save around 400 lives annually.

The quality of road infrastructure plays a critical role in road safety. In Lao PDR, only 33% of roads have a 3-star or better rating for vehicle occupants, and a mere 5% achieve this rating for motorcyclists. This gap underscores the need for infrastructure improvements to protect vulnerable road users. Lao PDR has a road fatality rate of 22 per thousand kilometers of road.

The country's motorization rate has increased, reaching 424.3 vehicles per thousand population by 2022. Two-wheelers make up the majority (74%) of the vehicle fleet, followed by light-duty vehicles (22%). This vehicle composition and limited road infrastructure quality present unique road safety challenges.

This translates to a fatality rate of 16.4 per 100,000 population. Lao PDR has made progress in reducing road fatalities with a rate of improvement of -5.8% annually between 2016 and 2021. Although this decreased from 27.0 fatalities per 100,000 population in 2010, it still surpasses the Asia-Pacific average of 15.2 and the Southeast Asia average of 14.4 for the same year.

Lao People's Democratic Republic had about 41 fatalities per 100 thousand registered vehicles.

• 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 Lao People's Democratic Republic, road crash fatalities decreased by approximately -5.8% per year between 2016 and 2021. However, this is not enough to reach the 2030 target to halve the fatalities by 2030

The country aims to reduce deaths and serious injuries by 70% by 2035, necessitating accelerated efforts and more effective interventions. Lao PDR has committed to improving road safety through various policy initiatives. The National Road Safety Strategy 2021-2030 and the 2021-2025 Action Plan provide a framework for addressing road safety challenges. Furthermore, targets have been set for road safety audits, infrastructure improvements, enforcement of traffic regulations (helmet use, seatbelt use, child restraints), and vehicle labeling. Other relevant policy documents include the National Socio-Economic Development Plans, the Lao PDR GCF Country Programme, and urban development and transport asset management assessments. Effective implementation and enforcement of these policies are crucial for achieving tangible improvements in road safety.

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