Statement of the Chair of the UN Road Safety Collaboration

14 November 2013

In the weeks leading up to this World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims, not a day has gone by without us hearing disturbing news of lives shattered by road traffic crashes: from major bus crashes in Kenya, Nepal and Peru, to just yesterday – the message from a father who lost his two-year old daughter when she was struck by a car as she ran after a ball.

My heart goes out to bereaved families and friends whose loved ones have been killed on the world’s roads this year.

The Decade of Action for Road Safety gives governments – and all of us – a platform to put concrete measures in place to prevent this loss of life.

I am encouraged by the actions being taken.

Countries like India, Mexico and New Zealand are assessing the state of their roads; New Car Assessment Programmes are highlighting gaps in the safety of vehicles; campaigns to prevent drink-driving are on-going in Brazil, Cambodia and Viet Nam, and to promote child car seats in the Russian Federation and motorcycle helmets in Yemen; and countries such as Mozambique, Romania and Thailand continue to improve their trauma care systems.

Despite progress, the WHO Global status report on road safety 2013 reminds us that much more is needed and that laws and their enforcement need to be strengthened everywhere if we are to have roads that are safe for all.

Let’s continue to work together to achieve the Decade’s goal of saving 5 million lives.

Dr Etienne Krug, 

Director, Department of Violence and Injury Prevention and Disability

 

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