An RMIT University researcher has produced a new star-rating system for international road safety that will enable traffic police jurisdictions to self-assess their capacity for road safety reform.
In developing the International Road Policing Assessment program (IRPAP), Dr Raymond Shuey examined how road policing and traffic law enforcement in low to middle-income countries – including Cambodia, China, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Loa PDR, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam – compared with good practice internationally.
Dr Shuey said there have previously been no international benchmarking criteria, star-rating systems or models for road policing and traffic law enforcement.
“The newly developed program provides road policing organisations in any country with a practical means of assessing their current police enforcement capability, including efficiency, effectiveness and safety,” he said.
“Using the IRPAP star-rating model, jurisdictions can benchmark their capability against an international standard – with the grading within the model determining improvements for building capacity and capability.”
The research complements two international road safety benchmarking models already in place: iRAP – the International Road Assessment Program, five star ratings for safer roads; and NCAP – the New Car Assessment Program, five star ratings for safer cars.
“IRPAP aims to provide a practical benchmarking self-assessment tool and, by developing and enhancing police professionalism and leadership with strategic, operational and tactical capability, the ultimate aim is to prevent death and injuries,” Shuey said.
“The mission of all traffic police organisations is to save lives on our roads and, by using the IRPAP manual I’ve developed – which is simple to follow and logical in its approach, traffic police can use it for better and more effective road policing and road safety around the world,” he said.