Case Study: São Paulo, Brazil

Through concerted action and collaboration, Together for Safer Roads and the State of São Paulo are reducing the state’s crash fatalities. Together, a data system and action plans for road infrastructure, education, and supervision are being implemented to support cities across the state to reduce deaths and injuries.

To reduce the number of road traffic deaths, the government established Vida dȇ Preferȇncia: Movimento Paulista de Segurança no Trânsito (MPST), a partnership between the State of São Paulo and the non- governmental organization, Centro de Lideranca Publica, with support from businesses, including Together for Safer Roads’ members, to save 22,000 lives in São Paulo – reducing the state’s crash fatalities by half by 2030.

Together for Safer Roads is an active advisor to MPST in creating, implementing, and evaluating the State Action Plan for road safety, including:

• Building a Data System (INFOSIGA SP): provides monthly reports on traffic deaths in the State of São Paulo (detailing crash occurrences, contributing risk factors, crash scene descriptions, road sections, etc.) and a related mapping system (INFOMAPA SP).
• Road Safety Actions in 64 Cities: focuses on road infrastructure (traffic lights, crosswalks, pedestrian barriers, elevated crosswalks, and sidewalks); traffic education (educational blitz, television and social media awareness campaigns, and simulated traffic incident victims rescue); and traffic supervision (traffic blitz, repositioning of transit agents).
• A Governance Structure: monitors results with a high-level Management Committee (representing State Secretariats) and Executive Committee (representing participating road agencies).

In 2016, MPST reported a 6.5 percent reduction in road deaths in São Paulo compared to the same period in 2015, and in 2017 a similar success was achieved. Altogether, these efforts led to a 13 percent reduction in fatalities between 2015 and 2017, accounting for over 496 lives saved.

The Safer Roads Challenge in São Paulo showcases that concerted action and collaboration can result in saving lives. Together for Safer Roads is currently working with MPST to expand its road safety data system.