UN Sets Ambitious Target to Halve Road Traffic Dea

 The Nations General Assembly has adopted a resolution committing to reducing road traffic deaths by at least 50% by the year 2030. This comes after 90% of road traffic fatalities occur in low- and middle-income countries. The political declaration titled "Improving Global Road Safety" commits to driving the implementation of the Global Plan for the Decade of Action for Road Safety 2021-2030. In order to achieve this ambitious target, the UN recognizes the importance of adequate, predictable, and sustainable financing.

The UN has also acknowledged that international cooperation is necessary for improving global road safety. The sharing of good practices, successful implementation mechanisms, and technical standards are essential for reducing road traffic deaths. Moreover, the Assembly has committed to implementing a safe system approach, promoting capacity-building, knowledge-sharing, technical support, and technology transfer programs.

The UN Secretary-General António Guterres has declared that road accidents are a silent epidemic and the leading cause of death in the world among young people aged 5 to 29. The tragedy is all the more unacceptable as many of these deaths could very well have been avoided. Achieving the Sustainable Development Goal target 3.6 to cut road traffic deaths and injuries by half by 2030 is critical. Urgent action and increased financing for sustainable and safe infrastructure, as well as a more holistic approach to road safety, is necessary.

The World Health Organization (WHO) emphasizes the importance of improving the safety of roads by promoting safe walking, cycling, and public transport. The Global Plan for the Decade of Action for Road Safety aligns with the Stockholm Declaration by calling for continued improvements in the design of roads and vehicles, enhancement of laws and law enforcement, and providing timely life-saving emergency care for the injured.

The UN recognizes that progress made during the previous Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011-2020 has laid the foundation for accelerated action in the years ahead. The new Decade of Action provides an opportunity for harnessing the successes and lessons of previous years and building upon them to save more lives. [1][2]

Sources

1-

https://press.un.org/en/2022/ga12432.doc.htm

2-

https://www.who.int/teams/social-determinants-of-health/safety-and-mobility/decade-of-action-for-road-safety-2021-2030