African road action needed: FIA Foundation Response to World Health Organisation Road Safety Report
GENEVA, Switzerland, Dec. 13, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The FIA Foundation, a leading advocate for global road safety, today responded to the latest findings presented in the World Health Organization's (WHO) Global Status Report on Road Safety 2023. The report highlights critical insights into the current state of road safety worldwide, addressing the challenges and progress made in reducing road traffic deaths.
The report was launched in Geneva and reveals a 5% global reduction in road traffic deaths since 2010, to 1.19 million annually today. In stark contrast, Africa stands as the sole region which has experienced an increase in road deaths, rising 17% since the last report. The region now counts over 225,000 annual deaths, 19% of the global total. This concerning trend, set against a backdrop of rising motorization in the region, highlights an 11% surge in fatalities among powered two- and three-wheeler users. Alarmingly, 28 African countries witnessed an overall rise in road deaths, underscoring the urgent need for targeted interventions and collaborative efforts to address this critical issue.
Saul Billingsley, Executive Director of the FIA Foundation, said "The disproportionately high and rising number of African deaths and injuries identified by the World Health Organization are unacceptable. The continent is seeing rapid motorisation which demands urgent and comprehensive road safety measures tailored to the specific challenges faced by African nations. Efforts should prioritise the safety of pedestrians, cyclists, and motorcyclists. As roads are paved and upgraded, infrastructure design and speed management must align with the safe system approach, placing people's safety at the core of mobility systems. The FIA Foundation make a clear call for transformative policies, investments, and capacity-building initiatives building on proven interventions to address this alarming rise in road traffic deaths."
Read the full WHO press release and report here.
Road Safety
About the FIA Foundation
The FIA Foundation is an independent UK registered charity which supports an international programme of activities promoting safe roads, clean air and climate action.
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