Child road safety in the Americas

18 February 2015

The Child Road Safety in the Americas Congress will take place between the 7th and the 8th May during the UN Global Road Safety Week. 

It will address the important public health and sustainable development issue of child road safety in the Americas, with particular focus on Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). Participants will include leaders from countries throughout the Americas and globally, who represent government agencies, NGOs, survivor groups, private sector organizations, medical associations, development agencies, and global organizations working to improve road safety.
The Congress will include a high-level event with key political, public health, and road safety leaders in the region, organized in collaboration with the Government of Costa Rica. In addition, there will be a pre-conference road safety event open to the public at the National Children’s Hospital of Costa Rica (Hospital Nacional de Niños) on May 6th 2015.

Conference agenda topics will span the five pillars of the framework of the UN Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011-2020. Taking place at the mid-point of the Decade during Global Road Safety Week, which WHO has designated with the theme of “Children and Road Safety,” the conference will feature success stories from LAC that may be adapted elsewhere in the region to improve national and local child road safety.

The protection of children as motor vehicle passengers and vulnerable road users will be emphasized. Specifically, emphasis will be given to promoting the use of child restraint systems and protection of child pedestrians, bicyclists and motorcycle riders.

Conference outcomes will include a consensus document on next steps for collaboration in the region, information sharing, and capacity building for child road safety in the region.

For more information please contact Katrina Boylan.