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 Mongolia is complex, characterized by progress and persistent challenges. In 2021, road traffic incidents in Mongolia resulted in approximately 400 fatalities, marking a significant public health concern as these injuries accounted for 2.3% of total deaths in the country. This narrative explores the current state of road safety in Mongolia, examining data discrepancies, the insights gleaned from disaggregated data, economic costs, motorization trends, benchmarking against regional averages, and the existing policy landscape.

Data discrepancies are a significant challenge in assessing Mongolia's road safety situation. For instance, reported fatalities for 2021 vary. The WHO estimated about 400 fatalities, while other sources present conflicting figures. This inconsistency underscores the need for improved data collection and reporting mechanisms to ensure accurate assessments and informed decision-making.

Analyzing disaggregated data provides valuable insights into specific risk groups and crash characteristics. The share of female fatalities decreased slightly, while the combined share of minors (<14 years old) and seniors (>65 years old) in road crash fatalities remained relatively stable. Notably, pedestrians and bicyclists constitute 35% of Mongolia's total road traffic crash fatalities, slightly exceeding the Asia-Pacific average.

The economic burden of road crashes in Mongolia is substantial. In 2021, fatalities and serious injuries cost an estimated 593 million USD, equivalent to roughly 4% of the country's GDP. This figure surpasses healthcare expenditure as a proportion of GDP, underscoring the significant strain on resources.

Furthermore, road crashes contribute significantly to the implicit costs of fossil fuel subsidies in transport. Investing in road safety improvements, such as those proposed by iRAP, could yield substantial economic benefits by preventing fatalities and reducing long-term costs.

Information regarding infrastructure ratings in Mongolia is limited which could provide valuable insights into the safety performance of specific road segments and inform infrastructure improvements. This information is crucial for prioritizing investments and targeting high-risk areas.

Mongolia has experienced rapid motorization, with 389 vehicles per thousand population in 2022. The vehicle fleet comprises a mix of vehicle types, with light-duty vehicles constituting the majority. This increasing motorization necessitates proactive road safety measures to mitigate the associated risks.

Benchmarking Mongolia's road safety performance against regional averages provides context and identifies areas for improvement. While Mongolia has made progress in reducing fatalities per capita, it still lags slightly behind regional averages. The fatality rate stood at 12.4 per 100,000 population in 2021. This marks a -34% decrease from 18.7 in 2010, indicating positive progress. However, the rate still lags slightly behind the Asia-Pacific average of 15.2 and the East Asia average of 15.6 for the same year.

Mongolia had about 34 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 Mongolia, road crash fatalities decreased by approximately -3.5% per year between 2016 and 2021. However, this is not enough to reach the 2030 target to halve the fatalities by 2030

Mongolia has established a comprehensive policy framework for road safety. The National Road Safety Program, published in 2019, sets ambitious targets to halve road traffic fatalities. This program is complemented by other policy documents and regulations that address various aspects of road safety, including infrastructure improvements, driver training, and vehicle standards.

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