Intersec 2025 to Address UAE Road Safety Challenges

As the UAE solidifies its position as a global hub for innovation and business, road safety remains an essential focus in its social sustainability goals. Now in the fourth year of the Global Plan for the Decade of Action for Road Safety 2021–2030, Intersec 2025 will bring together influential global safety leaders to discuss road safety as a pressing social sustainability issue.

Scheduled from January 14-16, 2025, at the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC), the Intersec 2025 Safety & Health Conference will explore how organizations in the UAE and the wider region can adopt strategic approaches to mitigate road-related risks and meet the objectives outlined in the Global Plan for the Decade of Action for Road Safety. This initiative, developed by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the United Nations, aims to halve road traffic fatalities and injuries by 2030.

Despite global efforts, road fatalities continue to rise, with 92% of deaths occurring in low- and middle-income countries. Poor infrastructure and insufficient safety measures amplify the economic and social toll of these incidents.

Dr. Karen McDonnell, Head of Global Relations at The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA), shared insights ahead of the road safety panel at Intersec 2025: “This data highlights a critical social sustainability issue. By adopting a ‘safe systems’ approach involving strong policies, innovative technology, and public-private partnerships, organizations in the UAE and across the region can take ownership of road safety issues and significantly reduce road-related fatalities and injuries.”

Contrary to global trends, Dubai has achieved remarkable success in reducing road fatalities—93% between 2007 and 2023—reaching a record low of 1.6 deaths per 100,000 people in 2023, attributed to improved traffic enforcement and infrastructure.

Eugene Mayne, CEO and Founder of UAE-based Tristar Group, will also join the panel, sharing Tristar’s exemplary road safety achievements: “Tristar has driven over 500 million kilometers without a single fatality, thanks to our ‘visible and felt leadership’ and our patented fatigue detection system, which monitors drivers and alerts them in real time to potential risks.”

Tristar actively supports Dubai’s Roads & Transport Authority (RTA) “Golden Rules for Generational Safety” campaign, promoting road safety education for schoolchildren.

The Safety & Health Conference at Intersec 2025 will provide a global platform for safety professionals to discuss workplace safety, health, and road safety solutions. The National Examination Board in Occupational Safety and Health (NEBOSH) will curate the program on January 15, empowering organizations to elevate workplace safety standards.

NEBOSH CEO Andy Shenstone stated: “With over eight thousand individuals in the UAE completing a NEBOSH qualification last year, Intersec offers us an invaluable opportunity to contribute to the professional community here. We’ve gathered leading health and safety experts to guide delegates in enhancing practices within their organizations.”

Alongside the conference, Intersec 2025 will feature a Safety & Health exhibition zone with 180 exhibitors from 30 countries, including UAE-based brands like MSA Safety, Woodland, and Palletco. This exhibition, themed “Mapping the Future in Safety, Security & Fire Protection,” will host 1,200 exhibitors from over 60 countries, attracting more than 42,000 trade visitors globally.