For many years road traffic crashes have been acknowledged by the United Nations as a considerable challenge to the achievement of health and development goals.
[4] This idea was formalized in the Declaration[5] which resulted from the First Global Ministerial Conference on Road Safety, hosted by the Government of the Russian Federation in November 2009.
While governments are expected to lead on the implementation of activities, the resolution specifically calls for a multi-sectoral approach that includes academia, the private sector, civil society, the media, victims and their families.
Other activities covered include promoting more widespread use of crash avoidance technologies with proven effectiveness, such as electronic stability control and anti-lock braking systems.
These efforts are combined with public awareness and education to increase seat-belt and helmet wearing and to reduce drinking and driving, speeding and other risks.
On the occasion of the Decade launch, many countries revised existing or adopted new road safety legislation, among them Austria,[12] China,[13] France[14] and New Zealand.
In many other countries heads of state put their weight behind the Decade by personally attending launch events (for example, in Croatia, Cyprus, Ethiopia, Mexico, Moldova, Slovenia, Sri Lanka[22] and others).
The White Paper shows that road collisions cost the global economy USD$518 billion per year, and comes with a price tag of up to 3 percent of a nation’s GDP.
The Fund supports a wide range of not-for-profit partners in developing countries including governments, non-governmental organizations, academic institutions and others on the frontline in the fight against road traffic deaths and injuries.