Tunisia Announces New Measures to Regulate Motorcycles and Reduce Road Accidents

The Tunisian government has announced new measures to regulate motorcycles and reduce road accidents. Colonel-major Chamseddine Adouani, head of the National Road Safety Observatory's coordination and communication office, revealed a series of projects aimed at reducing road accidents and fatalities. The strategy includes 48 programs and 168 activities covering various aspects of road safety. Adouani stated that the new communication policy aims to raise awareness among road users and ensure the follow-up of strategic programs and projects.

The national road safety strategy has set progressive objectives to reduce the number of accident victims. The goals include a 10% reduction in fatalities by 2027, 25% by 2030, and 50% by 2034. Adouani reported that several projects have already achieved a 40% completion rate, while others are progressing at a moderate pace. New programs are expected to be launched in 2027 and 2030, in line with the orientations set by the strategy's coordinator, Colonel-major Saber Khlifi.

Motorcycles have been identified as a major contributor to road accident fatalities, with the Observatory classifying them as "deadly vehicles." The government plans to accelerate the publication of a new set of regulations governing the distribution, manufacture, and assembly of motorcycles to better regulate the sector and enhance safety conditions. Additionally, the helmet industry will be subject to regulatory requirements and technical controls, as it is currently unregulated.

The national road safety strategy focuses on five key areas: safe infrastructure and speeds, road user safety, multimodal urban transport, safe vehicles, and post-accident interventions. These measures aim to reduce human losses related to traffic accidents and improve road safety indicators. The strategy is part of a national plan to address the high number of road accidents and fatalities in Tunisia.

The new communication policy of the National Road Safety Observatory aims to raise awareness among a larger number of road users and inform them about strategic programs and projects. The Observatory has organized workshops and meetings to discuss the strategy and its implementation. A two-day event was held on November 9-10, which included discussions on the strategy and its various components.

Colonel-major Adouani emphasized the importance of regulating the motorcycle sector, particularly small and medium-sized engines with a capacity of less than 49 cm³ or up to 125 cm³. The government aims to strengthen safety conditions and reduce the number of fatalities related to motorcycle accidents. The new regulations will also focus on improving road infrastructure and user safety.

The implementation of the national road safety strategy is expected to have a positive impact on road safety in Tunisia. The government aims to reduce the number of road accidents and fatalities, and improve the overall safety of road users. The strategy's success will be monitored and evaluated through the follow-up of its various programs and projects.

Key points

• Tunisia aims to reduce road accident fatalities by 50% by 2034
• The national road safety strategy includes 48 programs and 168 activities covering various aspects of road safety
• Motorcycles have been identified as a major contributor to road accident fatalities in Tunisia