After assessing Benin’s driving licence system and road safety protocols, IRU, the world road transport organisation, has devised a series of recommendations to improve safety and overall traffic efficiency.
At the request of Benin’s Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport, Directorate of Land Transport and the National Land Transport Agency, IRU has advised the country on reforms to its driving licence system and road safety procedures.
IRU’s diagnosis found that the West African nation’s road transport institutional framework, coupled with its limited theoretical and practical driver training and assessment capacity, would benefit from reforms to strengthen both the public and private sectors.
IRU has proposed a structured approach to enable the entire driving management system, including driving schools, to impart the foundations of road safety to users and reduce the number of road accidents and incidents.
IRU Secretary General Umberto de Pretto said, “We are delighted that the government and citizens of Benin could benefit from IRU’s 75 years of experience and expertise, helping to make their roads safer, and paving the way for a better, greener and more efficient road transport sector.”
Benin’s road traffic casualties increased by nearly 70% between 2017 and 2021, with road accidents costing the country between EUR 185 million and EUR 649 million per year.
Some of the recommendations include specific measures to modernise the legal framework and internationally recognised criteria for approving driving schools, as well as how to train road inspectors and instructors based on leading road transport standards.
IRU has also directly supported the Transport and Public Works Training Centre, providing internationally recognised commercial driver training and safety educational materials and best practices.
IRU’s work to review and enhance Benin’s complete driving licencing system was supported by Enabel, the Belgian development agency.
IRU technical assistance
Working with governments, policymakers and industry partners, IRU's technical assistance services are at the forefront of the drive to formalise and professionalise the road transport industry.
Just last December, the Parliament of Togo unanimously endorsed a new transport law developed by IRU with the support of the World Bank.