UN Secretary General urges safer mobility, fewer road crashes

Today is World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims. Over the last decade, 13 million people were killed in road crashes around the world. Over 90% of the 1.35 million annual road deaths occur in low- and middle income countries. Every 24 seconds someone dies on the road and road traffic injury is the leading cause of fatalities for children and young adults. In India, in 2019, 151,113 people were killed and 451,361 were injured in road crashes..

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has released a message today – the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims.

“Road traffic collisions are a major health and development concern.  Some 3,700 fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, sons, daughters, friends and colleagues are lost on the world’s roads every day.  Road traffic incidents are the leading cause of death for children and young adults between 5 and 29 years old, and ninety percent of victims live in low- and middle-income countries.

We need to remember this as we resolve to build a strong recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.  Our mobility systems must have safety at their core.  This is the only way we will achieve the ambitious goal of halving road deaths and injuries by 2030.

The United Nations road safety conventions are key to helping countries address the main causes of accidents.  I welcome the recent General Assembly Resolution that proclaimed a second Decade of Action for Road Safety from 2021 to 2030, and urged support for the efforts of my Special Envoy for Road Safety and for the United Nations Road Safety Fund.

As we remember the victims of road traffic collisions, let’s commit to reimagining ways to move around the world that are safe, affordable, accessible and sustainable for all, everywhere."

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