Intersec 2025 highlights UAE’s road safety efforts in response to rising global fatalities
Iain Hoey
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Intersec’s safety & health conference to feature focus on road safety risks
Dubai will host the Intersec 2025 Safety & Health Conference from 14-16 January at the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC), spotlighting road safety as a key component of the UAE’s social sustainability initiatives.
Now in its fourth year of the Global Plan for the Decade of Action for Road Safety 2021–2030, the event will convene global safety leaders to discuss strategies for reducing road fatalities and injuries by 2030, a target established by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the United Nations.
The conference will explore how organisations in the UAE and across the region can implement road risk management strategies aligned with the Global Plan, which aims to halve traffic deaths worldwide.
With the UAE’s status as a growing business hub, addressing road safety is viewed as essential to its long-term social sustainability goals.
Global trends and UAE’s progress on road safety
Worldwide, road fatalities have been on the rise, with 92% occurring in low- and middle-income countries, which hold just 60% of the world’s vehicles.
These regions face substantial economic and social impacts due to high accident rates, compounded by challenges in infrastructure and safety policies.
In contrast, Dubai has significantly improved its road safety record, achieving a 93% reduction in road fatalities from 2007 to 2023.
This decrease, resulting in a record low of 1.6 deaths per 100,000 residents in 2023, is attributed to robust traffic enforcement and infrastructure upgrades.
Speaking on the upcoming conference, Dr Karen McDonnell from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) highlighted the importance of a “safe systems” approach that incorporates policies, technology, and partnerships to address road safety issues.
UAE firms showcase road safety measures and technology
Eugene Mayne, CEO of UAE-based Tristar Group, outlined his company’s commitment to road safety through innovations such as their fatigue detection system, which alerts drivers to potential hazards.
He noted: “Tristar has achieved a remarkable record of over 500 million kilometres driven without a single fatality across its fleet.
“Our success can be attributed to our ‘visible and felt leadership’ and the use of cutting-edge technology.”
In addition, Tristar has actively participated in Dubai’s “Golden Rules for Generational Safety” campaign by partnering with the Roads & Transport Authority (RTA) to promote traffic rule awareness among schoolchildren, reinforcing a culture of safety from an early age.
Conference programme and exhibition focus on safety innovations
The conference will feature a curated programme led by the National Examination Board in Occupational Safety and Health (NEBOSH), specifically addressing workplace safety and health on the second day, 15 January.
NEBOSH CEO Andy Shenstone stated: “NEBOSH is delighted to curate content for Intersec for the third consecutive year.
“More than eight thousand people from the UAE took a NEBOSH qualification in the past 12 months, so this event is a great opportunity for us to give back to the professional community here.”
Concurrently, the Intersec 2025 exhibition will present solutions tailored to Safety & Health with 180 exhibitors from 30 countries in attendance, alongside segments dedicated to fire protection, cybersecurity, and homeland security.
The 26th edition of the exhibition, themed “Mapping the future in safety, security & fire protection,” expects to draw over 42,000 trade visitors and will host a total of 1,200 exhibitors from more than 60 nations.
Intersec 2025 highlights UAE’s road safety efforts in response to rising global fatalities: Summary
Intersec 2025, hosted from 14-16 January at Dubai’s DWTC, will address road safety as part of the UAE’s social sustainability strategy, aligning with the Global Plan for the Decade of Action for Road Safety 2021–2030.
The event will feature discussions on road safety risks, strategies for reducing traffic-related fatalities, and Dubai’s progress, including a 93% decrease in road fatalities from 2007 to 2023.
Speakers such as Dr Karen McDonnell from RoSPA and Tristar Group’s Eugene Mayne will share insights into safety technologies and public-private partnerships.
NEBOSH will curate a workplace safety programme, while 1,200 exhibitors from 60 nations will present industry solutions, aiming to draw over 42,000 trade visitors to the 26th Intersec edition.
