The EBRD approach to road safety

The EBRD has committed over €7.5 billion into more than 90 road projects since 1991 and road and traffic safety is embedded into the Bank’s Environmental and Social Policy under Performance Requirement (PR) 4 – Health and Safety. 

This requires all projects to identify, assess and monitor the potential traffic and road safety risks to workers and affected communities, as well as implementing measures to control any risks. We also require any road project we invest in to take into consideration relevant EU road and traffic safety management standards.

Projects will undergo road safety audits to identify road safety measures and incorporate technically road safety measure into the road design to mitigate potential road safety impacts on all road users – motorised and non-motorised.

Roads are routinely monitored and incident and accident reports to identify and resolve problems or negative safety trends.

Projects associated with vehicles fleets (owned or leased) will ensure good standards of road safety management to minimise risks to the public and workers.

Of all fatal accidents reported to the Bank in 2017, 11 per cent were due to vehicle collisions. The most common vehicle collisions occur with workers travelling to and from meetings and workplaces, but they also involve public transport. There are also many collisions with trains at level crossings.  

The EBRD supported EASST's project "Safe Driving for Life", which has been recognised by His Royal Highness Prince Michael of Kent as an outstanding contribution to improving road safety.

The EBRD also has its own Transport Strategy which addresses transport sustainability at policy and project level. The Bank is committed to supporting the development of sustainable transport networks in the region and is a signatory of the joint IFI statement issued at the Rio+20 United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development in 2012.

Transport Strategy 

The EBRD’s commitment to safe and sustainable transport is in alignment with the UN Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011-2020 as well as Sustainable Development Goals 3 and 11.