Rationale
Each year, the world suffers 1.19 million preventable deaths from road crashes. Without serious action, road crashes will cause an estimated 13–17 million more deaths and 500 million more injuries in the current decade.
UN Member States have adopted a resolution 74/299 Improving Global Road Safety and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (target 3.6) and are therefore mandated to reduce road deaths and injuries by 50% by 2030. We know what works to achieve this target: the actions needed are set out in the Global Plan for the Decade of Action for Road Safety 2021–2030.
Every person must be guaranteed safe, affordable, accessible, sustainable mobility using the road system. It ensures access to education, work, and the choices that enable any individual to achieve their maximum potential, leaving no one behind. This is fundamental to creating a fair, healthy, prosperous society.
Safe mobility is our right.
Our call to action:
We call on our governments to guarantee people’s right to safe mobility and act for a 50% reduction in road deaths and injuries by 2030. We urge:
1. EVIDENCE-BASED ACTIONS: prioritize interventions that have been proven to save lives and reduce injuries and other consequences of unsafe roads, with a particular focus on those who are least protected on our roads, including pedestrians, cyclists, and motorcyclists. Start with 30 km/h limits or lower where people walk, cycle, live, and play; lower speed limits; pedestrian facilities; traffic calming; comprehensive motorcycle helmet laws, including enforcement and promotion, ensuring availability of safe and affordable helmets; and incorporate other evidence-based interventions based on local and regional data.
2. TRANSPARENT AND ACCOUNTABLE INVESTMENT TO MAKE MOBILITY SAFE: demonstrate accountability by specifically incorporating the safety of all road users as a core element in funding allocations for mobility systems. Channel funding into implementation of proven life and injury-saving interventions, based on evidence and impact, recognizing that evidence-based interventions have a high return on investment. Publish transparent public reporting that includes sources of funding and specific amounts.
3. NGO INVOLVEMENT IN DECISION-MAKING PROCESSES: work with NGOs and communities, enabling an environment where civil society and government can work together effectively, so that evidence-based road safety decisions that save lives and injuries are made at every level of government.
Our role and commitment
We, as civil society, have a role defined in the Global Plan. We commit to play our part in advocating for and enabling people’s rights to safe mobility and achieve a 50% reduction in road deaths and injuries by 2030.
We commit to:
We empower people and communities. We show the reality of the road systems they use and highlight the experiences of road victims and their loved ones who have been affected by crashes. We speak up on decisions that affect road users and their rights.
We amplify data, evidence, and best practices from around the world and we collect ground-level data and evidence that show the impact of safe and unsafe roads on people and communities.
We keep road safety on the agenda until every person is guaranteed — through commitment and action — their right to safe mobility. We monitor progress and put a spotlight on action and inaction.
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