Road traffic crashes cause nearly 1,2 million deaths each year and remain the leading cause of death among children and young people aged 5 to 29. Although the global figure has decreased by 21% since 2011, progress is still insufficient to meet the target of halving road traffic deaths and injuries by 2030.
To that end, leaders, ministers, and specialists from around the world are participating this Monday and Tuesday in a high-level meeting at the United Nations headquarters in New York, convened by the President of the General Assembly and the Director-General of the World Health Organization ( WHO ), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. The meeting aims to transform political commitments into concrete actions that will accelerate progress during the Decade of Action for Road Safety 2021-2030.
Accelerate commitments
According to the most recent data, 1,16 million people died on the roads in 2025 , despite the fact that more than one billion vehicles were added to the global road fleet over the last decade. For the WHO, these figures show that much more needs to be done to make road safety a public health priority.
During the meeting, a previously negotiated declaration of progress by Member States will be examined, along with national experiences that have led to a reduction in road deaths. The WHO will also hold a side event to discuss how to translate international commitments into concrete results.
“This progress demonstrates that change is possible when countries invest in safe road systems,” said Dr. Tedros, who noted that road traffic deaths are preventable if effective policies are implemented.
A permanent priority
In a report released this year, the United Nations Secretary-General stressed that road safety must become a permanent priority for governments through strong institutions, long-term plans and measurable targets, with the support of the private sector, civil society and young people.
Among the most effective measures are:
- the design of safer roads
- speed control
- the use of seat belts and helmets
- improving vehicle safety
- prompt and appropriate care for victims after an accident
The high-level meeting seeks precisely to boost these actions so that the commitments made in 2022 and reinforced at the Marrakech Ministerial Conference in 2025 translate into fewer deaths and injuries worldwide.