UN Road Safety Trust Fund to Prevent Road Accidents
With nearly 1.3 million drivers, passengers and pedestrians dying each year on the world’s roads, the United Nations launched Thursday a Trust Fund to prevent road accidents and save lives.
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, adding that all stakeholders must contribute to the Trust Fund in order 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.
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.
The UN General Assembly – the UN body with universal membership of all 193 Member States – adopted a resolution Thursday on road safety in which it called for a host of measures to prevent road accidents and to minimizing the resulting damage.
