Note: World Lung Foundation united with The Union North America. From January 2016, the combined organization is known as “Vital Strategies.”
November 15th, 2015, New York, United States – As the global community remembers the millions of lives lost to preventable road crashes, World Lung Foundation (WLF) today called on governments to improve road safety and honor their commitment under the 20303 Agenda for Sustainable Development to reduce global road deaths by half by 2020. In a statement Sandra Mullin, WLF’s Senior Vice President, Policy, Advocacy and Communications, said:
“Preventing future road deaths is the best way governments can honor those lives lost to preventable road crashes. This year as in recent years, it is likely that there will be over a million road traffic deaths and as many as 50 million people injured. The majority (90 percent) of this burden is borne by low and middle income countries, which suffer related economic losses of up to five (5) percent of GDP. To reduce that toll in 2016 and beyond, urgent action is needed.
“We know the strategies that save lives: from the enforcement of strong road safety laws, to awareness-raising campaigns that help to drive behaviour change, to greater provision of public transport, and smart planning and good maintenance of safe roads – particularly in heavily populated urban areas. A strong evidence base supports recommended best practice and global experts – including World Lung Foundation – stand ready to help governments implement policies that work. We particularly recognize the work of The Bloomberg Initiative for Global Road Safety, which is helping to save lives in ten (10) of the world’s major cities and in five (5) low and middle income countries.
“It is also important to recognize that road safety is everyone’s responsibility. Vehicle drivers, cyclists and pedestrians all have a part to play in complying with road safety laws and reducing risky behaviors to protect themselves and others. The most important audiences for this message include children, to establish lifelong good habits, and people aged 15-29, who suffer the greatest burden of death due to preventable road crashes. With concerted action from all stakeholders, we can reduce the current burden of deaths and what can be life-changing injuries from preventable road crashes.”
About The Bloomberg Initiative for Global Road Safety (BIGRS) 2015-2019
The Bloomberg Initiative for Global Road Safety (BIGRS) 2015-2019 seeks to reduce fatalities and injuries from road traffic crashes in five low- and middle-income countries and ten cities, by strengthening road safety legislation at national level and implementing proven road safety interventions at city level. The selected cities will receive senior-level, full-time staff to work within city governments on their road safety initiatives; comprehensive technical assistance from the world’s leading road safety organizations; training for police officers and other relevant city staff; and support to create hard-hitting mass media campaigns. This is the second phase of Bloomberg Philanthropies’ Global Road Safety Initiative and represents a commitment of US$125 million over five years. For more information, please visit https://www.bloomberg.org/program/public-health/road-safety/