The United Nations has launched a new global road safety campaign, with an official from the organisation lamenting the priority most countries give to the issue.
The campaign follows a General Assembly resolution to improve road safety worldwide.
The resolution urges member states to ensure that road safety becomes a “political priority.”
“Road safety is not high enough on the political agenda in most countries. While we know the remedies to road crashes, action is lagging behind,” said Jean Todt, UN Special Envoy for Road Safety.
“While we know the remedies to road crashes, action is lagging behind,” Todt declared.
The UN road safety campaign aims to improve traffic safety and create inclusive, safe, and sustainable streets.
Under the motto #MakeASafetyStatement, the UN road safety campaign will also amplify the core messages of the New Decade of Action for Road Safety, which aims to halve the number of road-related victims by 2030.
The campaign will start in New York and run through 2025, reaching approximately 1,000 cities in more than 80 countries through billboards, social media, and other platforms.
Thus far, 14 celebrities have pledged their support, including tennis legend Novak Djokovic, Oscar-winning actress and UNDP Goodwill Ambassador Michelle Yeoh, and supermodel Naomi Campbell.
Each contributed their statement, such as “I drive slow” or “I don’t drive under the influence.”
At a press briefing at UN Headquarters in New York highlighted that road accidents are the “number one killer” for individuals aged 5 to 29, with the vast majority in low- and middle-income countries.
It noted that each year, 1.2 million people die on the road, and a further 40 to 50 million are injured, many seriously.
The UN has called on member states to consider adopting comprehensive legislation on key risk factors.
Those factors include the non-use of seat belts, child restraints, helmets, drinking and driving, and speeding.
Road Safety. Who is he? We wouldn’t know it, even if it were sitting at the lunch table with us.
As we drive along duh roads today, let’s take stock of what’s absent and what should have been present. Some of the major roads are made inherently unsafe. Take for example, along the Gros Islet Highway, in some places, the median (divider) also serves as a line. Evidently, someone never heard of the “Clear Zone.” The “Clear Zone” is a space before an obstacle or barrier on a road, for errant drivers to recover. Without a “Clear Zone” vehicles are more likely to crash into objects. Let’s not talk about the small lanes that forces some load carrying vehicles to occupy two lanes for their safety. Both of these are planning issues that seriously impacted real life.
White lines? Forget about it (say it in mafia style). Uncovered drains…that doesn’t happen here. What’s up with unpainted speed bumps that are camouflaged into the roads? Someone has a sense of humor. I say missing and covered road signs don’t cause accidents. I am reading from the script of the Infrastructure people.
I am only scratching the surface. Too many people have landed into accidents trying to avoid those countless potholes. We are not going to go there. Some of those UN announcements are just nice to hear.
Maybe King and his Ministry will listen to the UN instead of the frequent cry for reform by surviving families of road accident victims. This ministry is WORTHLESS when it comes to road safety- even by their practices on road works, they defy any logic to promote safety. Case in point, we see the pavement built opposite Sandals Halcyon ( southbound lanes) the pavement has a 6 inch raised edge ON the white line–wait till a car wheel bumps into this at normal speed! Where are the llawyers in this country to start suing government?
@Nooks – yes, I saw that and wondered who thought it was a good idea to build this pavement in that way. Unfortunately it’s only a matter of time before someone coming around the corner bumps into the pavement (or worse into an adjacent vehicle) and cause an accident.
We’ll then hear the excuse that the drivers should … or should not … But we know drivers are not perfect. That’s why we force everyone to buy insurance. Why create unnecessary hazards?
@ Nooks and Observer. The situation you described is a ‘Clear Zone” infringement. Inclusion of “Clear Zones” are extremely critical in reducing accidents.