Global Youth Coalition Member Feature: Musab Aljallad

1. Where are you connected right now? Tell us about the work you're doing.
I graduated from the University of Salford (UK) in 2020 with a master's degree in transport engineering and planning. I currently work as a transport consultant at Engicon, a multi-disciplinary engineering firm based in Amman, Jordan.

I work to support the sustainable development of the Jordanian transport sector. I'm working as part of a professional team of transport planners to review the current legislation governing the transport sector and the Jordanian transport policies and strategies. I also support the preparation of the Road Safety Action Plan through the collection of information, identification of relevant policies, and coordination with stakeholders.

I am involved in several projects that aim to improve road users' accessibility to the Jordanian transport systems by undertaking analytical work to understand the impact of deficiencies in the public transport systems on their mobility patterns and their socio-economic empowerment.

2. How did you first get involved in road safety and how long have you been working in the road safety and sustainable mobility field?
As many do, I became interested in road safety after surviving a road crash. In 2013, I was a reckless adolescent young man with a lot of ego and confidence in his driving abilities and skills. I was blinded and I thought that I was impervious to road crashes. I never saw myself having a car accident and I didn't believe that anyone could even be involved in something so tragic.

One of the reasons for my driving behavior was my admiration for the Fast and Furious film series. I couldn't wait to get my driver's license and try out the phenomenal reckless driving maneuvers I saw on screen. This all came to an end when I was nearly killed in a road crash where my car jumped to the other side of the road due to an uncalculated risk maneuver and was then hit by a taxi driving at 120km/h.

Fortunately, I survived, but I had endured serious injuries and I had learned a life lesson to remember. Following the incident, my attitude towards road safety changed. I started driving safely, wearing seat belts and keeping my distance. Since then, I've been dedicated to promoting road safety.

3. Can you tell us a little bit about the road safety and sustainable mobility situation in your area?
Despite the Ministry of Transport's efforts to improve the level of safety across roads in Jordan, the current situation of safety and security still needs to improve. These are the main challenges facing road safety in Jordan: lack of focus on road fatalities as a strategic issue, lack of a single agency with overall responsibility for road safety, there is no driver intervention to improve road safety particularly when it comes to truck drivers who often drive fast, lack of safety standards for vehicle design and registration, lack of safety training for truck and public transport drivers as a condition for driving license, and lack of awareness campaigns and information about the disastrous impacts of road accidents.

Personally, I believe that the main problem that faces road safety in Jordan is driver behavior. Jordanian drivers don't follow the rules and regulations or any road safety principles. The obvious solutions to this are more awareness and extra enforcement.


4. Why do you think it's important to include young people in local and global road safety efforts?
It's important to include young people because they have the right to defend their future. it's their future on the line and if they didn't stand for it who will? 

Road accidents are serious killers. The percentage of fatalities by road accidents is the highest for youngsters. Indeed, youth are the ones most affected by the current implemented road safety rules and regulations, therefore their voices must be heard and they must be involved in planning their future. 

5. Why did you join the Global Youth Coalition for Road Safety?
I joined the Global Youth Coalition for Road Safety because I want to level up my road safety knowledge, share knowledge with other road safety enthusiasts around the world, and join forces to fight for our right to have safe, environment-friendly, and comfortable trips.

6. What are your comments on the Coalition? Its activities? Its opportunities? 
The Youth Coalition empowers road safety enthusiasts and gives them the chance and the opportunities to participate in high-level meetings. The Youth Coalition ensures that youth around the world are being heard. It ensures that youth opinions and lives matter. The Youth Coalition engages youth from different regions around the world and helps them interact and listen to each other creating sort of a family that shares a common goal.

7. Any messages for people who have not yet joined the Youth Coalition?
Do you want to be empowered? Do you feel that you are not included and no one listens to you? Do you want to change reality and be part of an international organization that aims to create safer roads? Have you lost a family member or a friend, been injured, or are you simply afraid to leave the house because of reckless driving? Do you feel unsafe riding the bus, walking at night or cycling and you want this to stop? 

What are you waiting for? Come Join Us and let's change the world together!