The Global Road Safety Challenge

The Global Road Safety Challenge

The Third Global Ministerial Conference on Road Safety: Achieving Global Goals 2030 Stockholm, 19–20 February 2020 highlighted that road traffic crashes kill more than 1.35 million people every year, with over 90% of these casualties occurring in low- and middle-income countries.

These collisions are the leading cause of death for children and young adults aged 5–29 years, and the projected figure of up to 500 million road traffic deaths and injuries occurring worldwide between 2020 and 2030, constitutes a preventable epidemic and crisis that to avoid, will require more significant political commitment, leadership and greater action at all levels in the next decade.

The global character of the road safety challenge calls for international cooperation and partnerships across many sectors of society. Meeting this challenge is the responsibility of system designers and road users to move towards a world free from road traffic fatalities and serious injuries. Addressing road safety demands multi-stakeholder collaboration among the public and private sectors, academia, professional organizations, nongovernmental organizations and the media.

The Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011–2020 highlighted the need to promote an integrated approach to road safety such as a Safe System approach and Vision Zero, pursue long-term and sustainable safety solutions, and strengthen national inter-sectoral collaboration, including engagement with NGOs and civil society as well as businesses and industry which contribute to and influence the social and economic development of countries.

Prince Michael International Road Safety Awards recognise the achievements and innovations of organisations which successfully rise to meet this challenge.