There is an increasing recognition that policy initiatives at the regional level can complement and strengthen country road safety strategies and programs. This is certainly the case in the South Asia region, with implications for regional road safety investment priorities and potential for shared road safety initiatives. Road safety risks in the South Asia region reflect its distinctive characteristics concerning the rate of motorization and composition of its vehicle fleet. Regional road safety investment has not kept pace with the dynamic forces of development. South Asia’s economy is growing faster than any other regions of the world. The regional rate of vehicle ownership has doubled over the past decade and remains on an upward trajectory. In the absence of drastic measures, regional road safety performance is likely to get worse, unless country and regional measures are taken to redress investment and policy deficits.

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