Tunis, July 8, 2026 — Faced with the heavy human and economic toll of road accidents, road safety is now emerging as a major priority for public policies in Tunisia.
Beyond its impact on public health, road insecurity generates considerable costs for the national economy every year, while durably affecting families, the healthcare system, and the country's productivity.
In this regard, a new study highlights that targeted investment in proven interventions is not only an imperative for protecting human lives, but also an economically viable choice capable of generating significant benefits for the community.
Presented on Wednesday during the National Study Day on the Importance of Investment in Road Safety and the Implementation Priorities of the National Multisectoral Road Safety Strategy, the study shows that implementing a set of evidence-based measures, notably improving road infrastructure, enhancing the safety of pedestrians and cyclists, optimising the care of accident victims, and enforcing regulations more rigorously, would prevent more than 17,300 deaths and nearly 5,700 cases of permanent disability over the next thirty years.
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Conducted by the Ministry of the Interior, the National Road Safety Observatory, and the Ministry of Health, the study points out that implementing these interventions would prevent nearly TND 65.95 billion in economic losses over the next thirty years. Each dinar invested in road safety would thus generate a return on investment of TND 12.29.
Conversely, in the lack of urgent measures, Tunisia could record, over this same period, nearly 74,000 deaths, more than 235,000 injuries, and some 9,500 cases of permanent disability, according to the study's projections. They are human and economic losses that could be largely avoided through targeted investments in interventions recognised for their effectiveness.
Road accidents cost TND 1.73 billion in 2023
Presented during the study day, organised at the initiative of the Ministry of the Interior, the National Road Safety Observatory, and the Ministry of Health, in partnership with the World Health Organization, the United Nations Interagency Task Force on the Prevention and Control of Non-communicable Diseases, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and the United Nations Road Safety Fund, the study reveals that road accidents cost the Tunisian economy nearly TND 1.73 billion in 2023, accounting for 1.15% of the GDP. That same year, nearly 10,000 victims, including deaths and injuries of varying degrees of severity, were recorded.
The study is the first integrated national analysis assessing the health and economic consequences of road accidents on Tunisian citizens and society and identifies priority interventions offering the best cost-effectiveness ratio and the highest economic impact by 2034.
The organisation of this study day is part of the implementation of the National Multisectoral Road Safety Strategy and stepping up national efforts aimed at reducing mortality and injuries related to traffic accidents.
It provided an opportunity to present the scientific and economic evidence demonstrating that investment in road safety is not only an imperative for protecting human lives, but also represents an essential lever for reducing the social and economic costs borne by citizens and the national community.
Renewed commitment to safer mobility
This meeting offered the occasion to present the priorities of the National Multisectoral Road Safety Strategy, and a portfolio of priority projects, while opening a dialogue with development partners, international financial institutions, and donors on the prospects for the technical and financial cooperation necessary for their implementation. This approach aims to enhance multisectoral governance and accelerate the achievement of concrete results on the ground.
The organisers reaffirmed their strategic commitment to consolidating and expanding cooperation with all national and international partners.
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This approach aims to establish a high-performing, inclusive, and sustainable road safety system, focused on four fundamental pillars, namely awareness and prevention, upgrading of infrastructure and technologies, strengthening the regulatory framework, and sharing of expertise and data.
This involves intensifying road behaviour education campaigns and promoting a shared culture of caution from a young age, integrating innovative technological solutions to anticipate and reduce accident risks, and ensuring the rigorous enforcement of regulations.
By highlighting the human and economic cost of road insecurity, this study advocates for a change in approach, based on prevention, investment, and coordination among the various stakeholders.
Its conclusions show that expenditure on road safety must no longer be perceived as a burden, but as a strategic investment capable of saving thousands of lives, durably reducing accident-related trauma, and alleviating the financial burden borne by the state and the community.
English: Nejiba Ben Dhaou
