Qatar Red Crescent and road safety

Road safety is a major public health concern. Between 2008 and 2010 an average of 220 people were killed each year and over 550 people were seriously injured in the State of Qatar because of road crashes. Qatar Red Crescent (QRC), as a member of The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent (IFRC) which is the host of The Global Road Safety Partnership, has identified the road safety as one of its priorities to save lives and build safer communities. Methods used: • Advocate the prioritization of road safety on government's agenda. Internal road safety culture for the staffs and volunteers. • Public awareness campaigns on safe road use. Road safety education for students. • First aid courses for drivers, police officers, and the general public. QRC advocated for road safety through its involvement in the National Traffic Safety Committee. QRC volunteers and staffs, about 2500, committed to the ten road safety commitments of IFRC. The "On the Road of Safety" and "For a Safe Driving" public awareness campaigns targeted 5000. QRC school program promotes safe road practices between students, teachers, staffs, and the parents through the students. It targeted 1650 in 2014. QRC first aid training for students program "I am a paramedic" trained 16200 students between 2008 and 2015. QRC provides first aid training, with a special chapter about road safety, for about 4500 yearly. QRC assisted in writing the first aid chapter of the new driving manual in the State of Qatar. QRC is in the process of establishing partnership with the ministry of interior to provide first aid training for police officers and driving schools students. QRC will continue to have a strategic attention to continuous public education about road safety and first aid to bring death and injury down. References: 1. Global road safety partnership annual report 2013 2. Qatar National Road Safety Strategy 2013 -2022 3. IFRC 2010-2011 road safety program