ROAD SAFETY COUNTRY PROFILE
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Costa Rica
Latin America & the Caribbean
Costa Rica's Road Safety Country Profile
This road safety country data presents information on all pillars of road safety (management, roads, speed, vehicles, road users, and post-crash care), along with information on the current status for each country and region along with extensive information on key risk factors, issues and opportunities.
THE SCALE OF THE ROAD SAFETY CHALLENGE
Ref: 1 ,2 ,3 ,4 ,5
75%
Percentage of Road Crash Fatalities and Injuries in the economically productive age groups (15 - 64 years.)
3:1
Ratio of Male to Female Fatalities with the 15 - 49 year age group being most vulnerable to fatalities.
794 life yrs.
affected due to disability from road crash injuries per 100,000 people.
Road crash fatalities and injuries snapshot
Country Population, 2016:
4,857,274
Country Reported Fatalities, 2016:
795
WHO Estimated Fatalities, 2016:
812
GBD Estimated Fatalities, 2016:
778
WHO Est. Fatalities per 100,000 Pop., 2016:
16.7
Estimated Serious Injuries, 2016:
12,180
Cost of Fatalities and Serious Injuries, 2016:
$3,150 million
Cost as % of country GDP, 2016:
5.5%
4 Wheeler #689ad0 23,42,32
2 or 3 Wheeler #e08344 12,17,20
Cyclist #a5a5a5 3,5,6
Pedestrian #f6c243 60,35,41
Other #4e72bf 2,2,1
Costa Rica
Mean in Region
Mean in MICs
Positioning of Country in Region (Compared to Countries with the Lowest Traffic Fatalities in the Region and Globally)
2016 WHO Estimated Road Fatalities
2016 GBD Estimated Road Fatalities
2016 WHO Estimated Fatality Rate/100,000 pop.
2016 GBD Estimated Fatality Rate/ 100,000 pop.
% Trend in Fatality Rate/100,000 (2013-2016)
Motorization Registered Vehicles/100,000 pop.
Costa Rica
812
778
16.7
16.84
10.4%
40,998
BEST PERFORMING COUNTRIES IN REGION
Cuba
975
1,124
8.5
9.86
4.9%
5,519
Grenada
10
12
9.3
10.65
4.5%
25,407
BEST PERFORMING COUNTRIES GLOBALLY
Switzerland
223
334
2.65
3.89
-5.4%
71,182
Norway
143
215
2.72
4.09
2.4%
75,544
Singapore
155
197
2.76
3.53
-4.9%
16,604
Sweden
278
390
2.83
3.88
-3.2%
62,037
2016 WHO Estimated Road Fatalities
Costa Rica
812
BEST PERFORMING COUNTRIES IN REGION
Cuba
975
Grenada
10
BEST PERFORMING COUNTRIES GLOBALLY
Switzerland
223
Norway
143
Singapore
155
Sweden
278
2016 GBD Estimated Road Fatalities
Costa Rica
778
BEST PERFORMING COUNTRIES IN REGION
Cuba
1,124
Grenada
12
BEST PERFORMING COUNTRIES GLOBALLY
Switzerland
334
Norway
215
Singapore
197
Sweden
390
2016 WHO Estimated Fatality Rate/100,000 pop.
Costa Rica
16.7
BEST PERFORMING COUNTRIES IN REGION
Cuba
8.5
Grenada
9.3
BEST PERFORMING COUNTRIES GLOBALLY
Switzerland
2.65
Norway
2.72
Singapore
2.76
Sweden
2.83
2016 GBD Estimated Road Fatalities
Costa Rica
16.84
BEST PERFORMING COUNTRIES IN REGION
Cuba
9.86
Grenada
10.65
BEST PERFORMING COUNTRIES GLOBALLY
Switzerland
3.89
Norway
4.09
Singapore
3.53
Sweden
3.88
2016 GBD Estimated Road Fatalities
Costa Rica
10.4%
BEST PERFORMING COUNTRIES IN REGION
Cuba
4.9%
Grenada
4.5%
BEST PERFORMING COUNTRIES GLOBALLY
Switzerland
-5.4%
Norway
2.4%
Singapore
-4.9%
Sweden
-3.2%
2016 GBD Estimated Road Fatalities
Costa Rica
40,998
BEST PERFORMING COUNTRIES IN REGION
Cuba
5,519
Grenada
25,407
BEST PERFORMING COUNTRIES GLOBALLY
Switzerland
71,182
Norway
75,544
Singapore
16,604
Sweden
62,037
Ⅰ. ROAD SAFETY MANAGEMENT
Ref: 1
To produce positive road safety outcomes, strong management in all aspects of road safety is key. Presence of a funded lead agency to guide the national road safety effort and implement a Safe Systems approach is recommended.
Costa Rica has a lead agency present, Road Safety Council (COSEVI), Ministry of Public Works and Transportation, which isn't funded in the national budget but has a road safety strategy which is fully funded. The functions of the agency include coordination, legislation and monitoring and evaluation of road safety strategies. The country only has a fatal road safety target, to reduce fatalities by 20% with a timeline of 2016 - 2020.
Ⅱ. SAFE ROADS AND ROADSIDES
Ref: 1 ,4
Business Case for Safer Roads
Infrastructure and Speed Management Investment required:
$1.27 billion
Annual Investment as a % of GDP (2019-2030):
0.17%
Reduction in fatalities per year:
249
Approximate reduction in fatalities and serious injuries (FSI) over 20 years:
50,000
Economic Benefit:
$10.07 billion
B/C Ratio:
8
Ⅲ. SAFE SPEEDS
Ref: 1 ,6 ,7 ,8
Maximum Speed Limits and Enforcement
National Speed Limit
Speed Enforcement
Manual
National Speed Limit
Speed Enforcement
Manual
URBAN ROADS
RURAL ROADS
MOTORWAYS
Current Speed Limit
50 km/h
60 km/h
-
Difference with Recomended Safe System Speed
+20 km/h
Appropriate
-
Potential Decrease in Fatal Road Crashes from Enforcement of Safe System Speed Limits
4 times lower
Low Risk
-
URBAN ROADS
Current Speed Limit
50 km/h
Difference with Recomended Safe System Speed
+20 km/h
Potential Decrease in Fatal Road Crashes from Enforcement of Safe System Speed Limits
4 times lower
RURAL ROADS
Current Speed Limit
60 km/h
Difference with Recomended Safe System Speed
Appropriate
Potential Decrease in Fatal Road Crashes from Enforcement of Safe System Speed Limits
Low Risk
MOTORWAYS
Current Speed Limit
-
Difference with Recomended Safe System Speed
-
Potential Decrease in Fatal Road Crashes from Enforcement of Safe System Speed Limits
-
Major Speed Calming Measures Being Implemented
Narrowing
Horizontal Deflections
Include lane narrowings by extending sidewalks, curb extensions, pedestrian refuges etc.
Used to make vehicles swerve slightly, include chicanes, pedesrian refuges, chokers etc.
Vertical Deflections
Block or Restrict Access
Include speed bumps, humps, cushions, tables, raised pedestrian crossing, variation in ride surface etc.
Include median diverters, closing streets to create pedestrian zones,cul-de-sacs etc.
Narrowing
Include lane narrowings by extending sidewalks, curb extensions, pedestrian refuges etc.
Horizontal Deflections
Used to make vehicles swerve slightly, include chicanes, pedesrian refuges, chokers etc.
Vertical Deflections
Include speed bumps, humps, cushions, tables, raised pedestrian crossing, variation in ride surface etc.
Block or Restrict Access
Include median diverters, closing streets to create pedestrian zones,cul-de-sacs etc.
Ⅳ. SAFE VEHICLES
Ref: 1 ,8
1,991,398
total registered vehicles as of 2016
0.3%
motorized 2/3 wheelers as of 2016
Country Compliance to the UN Vehicle Safety Regulations
Frontal and Side Impact (Reg. 94, 95)
No Restrictions Regulation of Import of Used Vehicles
Motorcycle Anti-Lock Braking System (Reg. 78)
No Import Age Limit
Pedestrian Protection (Reg. 127)
No Taxation Based Limits
Electronic Stability Control (Reg. 140)
No Import Inspections
Seat Belts and Anchorages (Reg. 16, 14)
No Periodic Inspection
Frontal and Side Impact (Reg. 94, 95)
Motorcycle Anti-Lock Braking System (Reg. 78)
Pedestrian Protection (Reg. 127)
Electronic Stability Control (Reg. 140)
Seat Belts and Anchorages (Reg. 16, 14)
No Restrictions Regulation of Import of Used Vehicles
No Import Age Limit
No Taxation Based Limits
No Import Inspections
No Periodic Inspection
Ⅴ. SAFE ROAD USERS
Ref: 1 ,8
National Seatbelt, Drink Driving and Helmet Laws (WHO, 2016)
National Seatbelt Law
Motorcycle Occupant Age Restriction: Prohibited under 5 yrs
Driver
Legal Minimum Driving Age: 18 yrs.
Front
National Drink Driving Law
Back
Is Law BAC Based?
Motorcycle Helmet Law
Random Drink Driving Tests
Helmet Standards
% of Road Crach Fatalities Involving Alcohol: 31.2%
National Seatbelt Law
Driver
Front
Back
Motorcycle Helmet Law
Helmet Standards
Motorcycle Occupant Age Restriction: Prohibited under 5 yrs
Legal Minimum Driving Age: 18 yrs.
National Drink Driving Law
Is Law BAC Based?
Random Drink Driving Tests
% of Road Crach Fatalities Involving Alcohol: 312
Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) Limits (g/dl)
General Population
≤0.05
Young Drivers
≤0.02
Professional Drivers
≤0.02
General Population
≤0.05
Young Drivers
≤0.02
Professional Drivers
≤0.02
Ⅵ. POST CRASH CARE
Ref: 1 ,8 ,9
Good post-crash care reduces deaths and reduces disability and suffering for road crash survivors. The emergency medical care system elements and processes need to be effective to attain this objective.
National Emergency Care Access Number: National, Single Number
Traume Registry System: Some Facilities
Country Health Coverage Index - SDG Target 3.8; Target - 100: 75
Expenditure on Healthcare as % of GDP: 8%
Global Status Report on Road Safety 2018. World Health Organization;
Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME). GBD Results Tool. Seattle, WA: IHME, University of Washington, 2015;
Serious injuries have been calculated assuming a ratio of 15:1 (15 serious injuries for every death). This estimation broadly falls in the range of 30:1 in high income countries to 10:1 in low- and middle-income countries as crashes tend to be more fatal in the later context.
Vaccines for Roads, International Road Assessment Programme (iRAP). Available from https://www.vaccinesforroads.org/;
World Bank Databank for Development Indicators;
M.H. Cameron, R. Elvik. 2010. Nilsson's Power Model connecting speed and road trauma;
Austroads. Balance between harm reduction and mobility in setting speed limits;
UNEP-ITC Background Paper on Used Vehicles Globally and Various Media Sources (Wikipedia and vehicle import websites);
2018 World Health Statistics, WHO.