With some 1.3 million drivers, passengers and pedestrians
dying each year on the world’s roads, the United Nations
took a major step to address this tragedy by launching on
Thursday a trust fund to spur action that could save lives and
prevent the loss of opportunity associated with road accidents.
Speaking at the UN General Assembly where the launch was
announced, Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed highlighted
the opportunities offered by the UN Road Safety Trust Fund.
“We have a chance to save the lives
of millions of people around the world, and to prevent
injuries, suffering and the loss of opportunity associated with
road accidents,” she said, urging all stakeholders to contribute
to the Trust Fund and to step up their efforts to achieve global
road safety targets.
According to the UN
Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), the Organization’s
development arm in the continent, which is also the secretariat
for the Trust Fund, every $1,500 contributed to the Fund could
save one life; prevent 10 serious injuries; and leverage $51,000
towards investments in road safety.
“The Road Safety Trust Fund will serve as a catalyst for
much-needed progress towards the road safety targets of the
Sustainable Development Goals,” said Olga Algayerova, the head of
UNECE.
Dealing specifically with road safety, SDG targets 3.6 and 11.2 aim to halve the
number of global deaths and injuries from road traffic accidents;
and to provide access to safe, affordable, accessible and
sustainable transport systems as well as improve road safety for
all, respectively.
“[We] are committed to working with all stakeholders to multiply
the impact of global action to improve road safety,” added Ms.
Algayerova.
Echoing these words, Jean Todt, the President of the Fédération
Internationale de l’Automobile and the UN Special Envoy for Road
Safety, also underlined the importance scaling up of
resources to achieve global road safety targets.
“[The Trust Fund] has the potential to galvanize our global
efforts to address the road safety situation, building on the
progress made and experience gained over the Decade of Action for
Road Safety 2011-2020,” he expressed.
The Trust Fund will
support efforts along the five pillars of the Global Plan for the
Decade of Action for Road Safety, which include strengthened road
safety management capacities; improved safety of road
infrastructure and broader transport networks; enhanced safety of
vehicles; improved behaviour of road users; and improved
post-crash care.
General Assembly urges effective measures to improve road safety
Also today, the UN General Assembly – the UN body with universal
membership of all 193 Member States – adopted a resolution on
road safety in which it called for a host of measures to prevent
road accidents and to minimizing the resulting damage.
One of the measures, it urged, the adoption policies and measures
to implement vehicle safety regulations to ensure that all new
motor vehicles meet “applicable minimum regulations for the
protection of occupants and other road users, with seat belts,
airbags and active safety systems fitted as standard equipment.”
