Rationale
Each year, the world suffers 1.3 million preventable deaths and an estimated 50 million injuries from road crashes[1]. Without serious action, road crashes will cause an estimated 13–17 million more deaths and 500 million more injuries in the current decade[2].
UN Member States have adopted a resolution 74/299 Improving Global Road Safety[3] and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (target 3.6)[4] 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[5].
Frameworks and targets have been set: it is time to act now.
Regional Context[6]
Asia Pacific accounts for 61% of the world’s road deaths, with a rate of 18 per 100,000 population in 2016, broadly the same as the global rate[7]. Concerningly, between 2013 and 2016, road deaths increased by 10% in the region[8]. The picture varies around the region, with ESCAP’s South and South-West Asia subregion accounting for nearly one-third of the regional road deaths[9]. According to WHO regional data, the WHO Southeast Asia region has a road death rate of 20.7 per 100,000 population, while in Western Pacific, it is 16.9[10].
Within the WHO Southeast Asia and Western Pacific regions, the majority of road fatalities are among riders of motorized two- and three-wheelers who represent 43% and 36% of all fatalities respectively[11].
Call to Action
We call on all governments in Asia Pacific to commit to act for people’s right to safe mobility and a 50% reduction in road deaths and injuries by 2030, with an urgent focus on motorcycle users who are at greatest risk of injury in the region
We demand:
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 roads 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 safety.
We amplify data, evidence, and best practices from around the world and we collect ground-level 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.
We have a shared responsibility to use our skills and experience as NGOs and as representatives of our people and communities.
[1] WHO. (2018). Global Status Report on Road Safety 2018. Geneva: World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789241565684
[2] WHO & UN Regional Commissions. (2021). Global Plan for the Decade of Action for Road Safety 2021–2030. https://www.who.int/publications/m/item/global-plan-for-the-decade-of-action-for-road-safety-2021-2030; Job, RFS. (2019). Development of a Safe System Approach, Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting, 13 January 2019, Washington DC.
[3] United Nations General Assembly. (2020). Resolution A/74/L86 Improving Global Road Safety. https://documents-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/N20/226/30/PDF/N2022630.pdf?OpenElement
[4] United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs. (2015). 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. https://sdgs.un.org/goals
[5]WHO & UN Regional Commissions. (2021). Global Plan for the Decade of Action for Road Safety 2021–2030. https://www.who.int/publications/m/item/global-plan-for-the-decade-of-action-for-road-safety-2021-2030
[6] For the purpose of this document, Asia Pacific is defined as the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) region. Some data refers to WHO Southeast Asia and Western Pacific regions.
[7] UN ESCAP. (2019). Road Safety in the Asia-Pacific Region. https://www.unescap.org/sites/default/files/Road%20Safety%20in%20the%20Asia-Pacific%20Region.pdf
[8] Ibid.
[9] Ibid.
[10] WHO. (2018). Global Status Report on Road Safety 2018. Geneva: World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789241565684. Combined data for Southeast Asia and Western Pacific.
[11] WHO. (2018). Global Status Report on Road Safety 2018. Geneva: World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789241565684