road

Governments need to revise their driving laws and vehicle safety standards if the number of deaths from road traffic crashes is to be substantially reduced, the United Nations World Health Organization (WHO) today reported, showing that more legislative muscle and better enforcement is needed to keep pedestrians, drivers and cyclists safe on the roads.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today lamented the tragedy of needless deaths and injuries from road accidents and exhorted the world to intensify efforts to minimize the crashes by coming up with innovative plans to reduce the risks associated with them.

Road traffic should get quieter in the near future, thanks to a new procedure for measuring noise in vehicles, according to the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE).

A new resolution passed by the United Nations General Assembly today urges stepped up efforts to boost road global road safety.

From candlelight parades in Israel and a multi-faith gathering in Australia to theatre performances in Mexico and a seminar in Japan, people around the world are today marking the United Nations World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims.

A United Nations-sponsored gathering of young people from around the world has issued a global call to arms for governments, schools, universities, the media, the entertainment industry, bartenders and youths themselves to take action to improve road safety for young people – who are more likely to be killed by road accidents than any other cause.

Observing that “road safety will not happen by accident,” Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today called on government ministers, community and business leaders, parents, insurers, car makers, the media, survivors of road accidents and others to play their part in toughening laws and regulations to reduce the death and injury toll from crashes.

Road traffic crashes have become the leading cause of death among young people, with nearly 400,000 people between the ages of 10 and 24 killed around the world each year and millions of others disabled or injured, usually in crashes that are entirely preventable, the United Nations World Health Organization (WHO) warns in a new report.

With millions of people killed, injured or disabled in traffic accidents each year – mostly in urban areas of developing countries – and with burdensome health-care costs creeping ever higher, a new United Nations report has recommended that the world body’s 191 Member governing Assembly step up its efforts to reduce traffic risks and improve global rode safety.

The United Nations is pushing ahead with a major regional initiative to revive the ancient Silk Road aimed at renewing economic and cultural links bridging China and Central Asian countries by promoting modern forms of cooperation supported by advanced technologies and achieving “new miracles” of enhanced tourism.