Prince calls for global driving standards

Prince Michael is patron of the Commission and the campaign, which was launched last year with the aim to reduce the 1.2 million annual death toll on the world's roads and up to 50 million injuries, was given new impetus in the spring with a rally in London held to coincide with the first United Nations Global Road Safety Week (RoadSafe: spring 2007).

"We want to share our experiences and our aim is to set global standards - I doubt vehicles have to undergo an MoT in Bolivia," said Prince Michael. "That is why we hope to soon have a United Nations summit of transport ministers from around the world to agree highlevel political commitment for action on road deaths in developing countries.

"There are some good safety initiatives taking place in parts of the developing world and a momentum is being created but we must speed that to other countries.

"All motorcyclists wearing helmets, all drivers and passengers wearing seat belts and speed limits are basics that we in the UK take for granted, but we need to focus on encouraging their uptake in the developing world.

"We also need to work hard to promote good practice in companies which employ drivers - here the work we do in the UK can be replicated elsewhere.”

Last year, Prince Michael visited Muscat in the Oman to present his International Road Safety Award to the Sultanate in recognition of the country's 'outstanding effort' to promote global road safety issues at the United Nations. The visit also coincided with the sixth meeting of the UN Road Safety

Collaboration, which discussed a range of issues including fleet safety. Speaking at the award ceremony, Prince Michael said: "For a small nation, Oman has achieved a tremendous amount in promoting the issue of global road safety onto the international agenda."

He told RoadSafe: "Oman has helped raise the whole aspect of road safety on to a new level and is bringing together governments at a senior level.”

In April 2004, acting on a proposal by the Sultanate, the UN General Assembly adopted an historic resolution which drew attention to road safety, endorsed the World Report on Road Traffic Injury Prevention published jointly by the World Health Organisation and the World Bank, and established the UN Road Safety Collaboration. In October 2005, Oman proposed a further resolution which mandated the first United Nations Global Road Safety Week.

Noting that 'none of these recent developments would have been possible had the Government of Oman not played a crucial role in raising political awareness' the Prince presented his award to H.E. Mr Talib Miran Al- Raisi of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Further information at www.makeroadssafe.org

'Children should be taught to drive at school'

The initiative, which has Ex-Formula One world champion Nigel Mansell as its president, aims to encourage young people aged between 15 and 17 to develop positive attitudes towards the responsibilities inherent in the safe use of motor vehicles.

Extended five years ago to include motorcycles - this scheme is called On Two Wheels - Prince Michael said: "Although the schemes only account for a small number of young people they are invaluable and we must do more to encourage our youngsters to gain valuable driving and riding experience before they take their tests.

"We need to have driving on the curriculum. We need to educate young minds about the importance of restraint, awareness of other road users, the recognition of danger and the importance of anticipation.

"It is all about mental preparation and thinking about what might happen in a given situation. The earlier you can teach someone something then the more automatic it will become.

"If driving became part of the school curriculum it would be one of the most important ways to reduce road casualties.

Further information at www.ukyouth.org

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