MPs worldwide launch manifesto calling for urgent action to halve global road deaths

9 May 2017

Parliamentarians worldwide are being urged to support action to meet the United Nation’s (UN) target to halve road deaths by the end of the decade. With 3500 people killed every day in traffic crashes the Manifesto #4RoadSafety issued by the Global Network for Road Safety Legislators highlights the measures that can help prevent this tragic waste of human life on the world’s roads.

Released during the 2017 UN Global Road Safety Week , the Manifesto #4RoadSafety has been adopted by a cross party group of senior Members of Parliament from Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, the United States and the United Kingdom. The MP’s warn that on present trends it is unlikely that the UN’s aim to halve road deaths by 2020 will be reached, describing such an outcome as “a tragic missed opportunity to apply known and effective policies to make roads safe”.

The Manifesto #4RoadSafety includes ten key recommendations to encourage parliamentarians to support the current United Nation’s Decade of Action for Road Safety (2011-2020) and endorses a new ‘SAVE LIVES’ package of road injury prevention measures issued by the World Health Organisation (WHO). The SAVE LIVES package recommends adoption by all UN Member States of laws to tackle speeding, drink driving, non-use of motorcycle helmets, seat belts and child restraints, and the application of acceptable vehicle and road safety construction standards. It also includes recommendations on speed management and the Safe System approach, occupational road safety, good governance and funding for road injury prevention, the role of the multilateral development banks, and proposes a new UN target for road safety in 2030.

Commenting on the manifesto the Chairman of the Global Network for Road Safety Legislators, Barry Sheerman said, “With a UN target to halve road deaths by 2020 there has never been a stronger mandate for all countries to take action to stop the appalling daily carnage on our roads. Despite rising motorisation, better national road safety policies have helped to slow the rise in global road fatalities. To meet the UN target much more needs to be done and parliamentarians worldwide can play a decisive role by supporting our manifesto and the adoption and enforcement of laws that will make roads safe”.