• Road accidents are the leading cause of death for young people ages 5 to 29 in low- and middle-income countries.
• Traffic deaths and injuries cost countries between 3% and 5% of their annual GDP, a UN declaration says.
• The Global Plan for the Decade of Action for Road Safety 2021–2030 calls for urgent action.

UNITED NATIONS: The first high-level meeting of the UN General Assembly on road safety called on Friday for worldwide action to halve the yearly toll of roughly 1.3 million deaths and 50 million injuries in traffic accidents by the end of the decade.

On the last day of the two-day meeting, a political declaration said that traffic deaths and injuries cost countries between 3% and 5% of their annual GDP.

“Makes road safety a public health and development priority,” it states.

Delegates urged all nations to increase efforts and set national targets to minimise fatalities and serious injuries, as called for in the Global Plan for the Decade of Action for Road Safety 2021–2030.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said road accidents are the leading cause of death for young people ages 5 to 29, with nine out of 10 victims in low- and middle-income nations.

“Road fatalities are closely linked to poor infrastructure, unplanned urbanization, lax social protection and health care systems, limited road safety literacy, and persistent inequalities both within and between countries,” he added. “At the same time, unsafe roads are a key obstacle to development.”

The UN chief called for “ambitious and urgent action to reduce the biggest risks, such as speeding, driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, failing to use seatbelts, helmets, and child restraints, unsafe road infrastructure and vehicles, poor pedestrian safety, and inadequate enforcement of traffic laws.”

He encouraged more spending on infrastructure and “greener urban development, especially in low- and middle-income countries.”

The UN Road Safety Fund was formed in 2018 to reduce road deaths and injuries in low- and middle-income countries.

On Thursday, 16 countries and private sector partners committed $15 million.

The fund is funding 25 high-impact initiatives in 30 countries and five regions and needs more money.

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“More resources can and must be allocated toward road safety initiatives,” said Jean Todt, UN special envoy for road safety.

“in most countries, investments in road safety remain underfunded,” said General Assembly President Abdulla Shahid.

Some countries lack “the resources or the know-how to construct safer roads or vehicles, or to inculcate safe road use behaviour,” he said.

The declaration asks for the dissemination of road safety awareness to all road users worldwide.

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