The Association for Safe International Road Travel is a non-profit, humanitarian organization that promotes road travel safety through education and advocacy. Rochelle Sobel, president and founder of ASIRT, created the organization in 1995, in response to her son Aron's death in a bus crash in Turkey. ASIRT helped found the US Congressional Caucus on Global Road Safety, and is an internationally influential and active organization. Working under the premise that road crashes are predictable and preventable, ASIRT serves the global community in a variety of ways to help reduce injuries and deaths and the associated social and economic impacts that result from them. ASIRT serves as a resource to governments, corporations, travel organizations, guidebooks, study abroad programs, health/travel clinics and non-governmental organizations. ASIRT also helps to foster the development of new road safety organizations in other countries.
Mission
To save lives and minimize crash-related injuries by assisting travelers to manage road risks and inspiring the world to take actions to improve road safety. ASIRT accomplishes this mission through education, advocacy and the creation and support of exemplary, sustainable road safety programs and partnerships worldwide.
Organization
ASIRT's headquarters are in Potomac, Maryland; however, ASIRT works in Kenya, Turkey, Egypt, and many other countries.
Political achievements and goals
Working with Members of U.S. Congress: Alongside the Congressional Caucus on Global Road Safety, ASIRT works to increase awareness of U.S. legislators about the crisis in global road safety. The help of this bi-cameral, bi-partisancaucus has spearheaded the passing of ASIRT's resolution, H. Con. Res. 87. This resolution solidifies the United States' support for the United Nations' resolution for a World Remembrance Day for Road Crash Victims and their Families. Working with Members of the U.S. State Department: ASIRT encourages State Department efforts on road safety by:
Providing information to American travelers on the risks of road travel abroad through expanded road safety sections of Consular Information Sheets, and Embassy and State Department websites
Collecting and disseminating road fatality statistics of U.S. citizens abroad by country and making information available on the U.S. State Department website.
Facilitating the creation of partnerships between ASIRT and local organizations throughout the world, especially countries where the needs appear the greatest.
Turkey: ASIRT partners with Rotary International of Turkey to facilitate Safe Community road safety projects in five cities. ASIRT works with ISHAD, Turkey's Business Life Corporationion Association to create Road Safety Education Centers.
ASIRT/Kenya: ASIRT's first global chapter works to reduce fatalities and injuries among passengers of Matatus by offering driver training, emergency medical training for health professionals and child safety seat distribution.
Israel: ASIRT partners with NGO's to create safe communities.
Egypt: ASIRT partners with Rotary Clubs and the U.S. embassy on road safety initiatives.
Citizens traveling abroad
ASIRT provides road safety information to tourists, students and corporate travelors.
Road Travel Reports: ASIRT's user-friendly reports on over 160 countries describing general road conditions; frequent road crash sites; national road safety statistics; driver behaviors; driving regulation; urban, rural, night, and seasonal travel precautions; pedestrian, passenger and cycle safety tips; quality and availability of emergency medical care, emergency procedures and contact information.
A Global Road Safety Toolbox for the Study Abroad Community: a manual that helps study-abroad professionals to plan safe itineraries and students to make safe, informed travel choices while studying abroad.
Training Seminars: ASIRT provides workshops that incorporate road safety education training, as well as student pre-departure campus and on-site orientations. Each workshop is tailored to the specific needs of the participants.
Publications and media
Faces Behind the Figures: A compilation of interviews of road crash victims and their families to memorialize and inspire road safety choices that save lives. ASIRT on the Today Show On July 6, 2007 ASIRT was featured on the Today Show
