19 May 2016   

Improving Disaster Response through Road Safety and Cross Sector Collaboration

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) has partnered with Grab, Southeast Asia's leading ride-hailing platform, in order to promote road safety and provide emergency assistance in the region, as two of the most compelling needs in the region.

The IFRC-Grab partnership will be rolled out in the six countries where number of deaths reaches more than 100,000 every year, representing 8.15 per cent of the total global deaths.

Natural disasters killed more than 350,000 in 500 incidents in South East Asia, with Indonesia and the Philippines being hit the hardest.

As part of the agreement, 2,000 GrabCar and GrabBike drivers will be trained on life-saving skills, such as first aid and road safety knowledge at no cost to drivers.

IFRS will utilize Grab’s largest land fleet of over 270,000 drivers and call centres with 200 operators as a first-responder network during disaster and emergency situations.

Grab will be an official transportation partner of the IFRC, distributing road safety education materials to provide clear and simple life-saving messages to passengers.

“Our global strategy is to build more resilient communities by saving lives and changing minds. The partnership with Grab is a unique opportunity to join expertise and reach of our respective networks to expand a culture of safety on the road,” said Xavier Castellanos, the IFRC’s regional director.

Read more: IFRC