Comparative Assessment of Road Safety Performance: The Case of the Republic of Srpska and Surroundings
摘要
Road safety remains a major societal challenge in the Western Balkans, characterized by inconsistent policies, infrastructural limitations, and data fragmentation. This paper aims to evaluate the road safety performance of the Republic of Srpska in comparison with neighboring countries — Serbia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Croatia, Slovenia, and the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, over a five-year period (2020–2024). The study applies a comparative statistical analysis using official national and international data on key road safety indicators: the number of traffic crashes, fatalities, public risk (fatalities per 100,000 inhabitants), and traffic risk (fatalities per 10,000 vehicles). Independent samples t-tests were used to determine the statistical significance of differences between them. Findings reveal statistically significant differences in both absolute and relative indicators across the observed entities. The Republic of Srpska, although not registering the highest number of traffic crashes, consistently records higher public and traffic risk values compared to most of its neighbors. Slovenia showed the lowest risk indicators, whereas Montenegro exhibited the highest. The results highlight systemic challenges in the Republic of Srpska, such as insufficient enforcement, institutional fragmentation, and driver behavior. Recommendations include enhancing regional cooperation, harmonizing safety strategies, and adopting evidence-based, technology-supported interventions. The findings can support policymakers in developing targeted and effective road safety strategies.