Second UN Global Road Safety Week kicks off worldwide

More than 270 000 pedestrians lose their lives on the world’s roads each year accounting for 22% of the total 1.24 million road traffic deaths. WHO is calling on governments to take concrete actions to improve the safety of pedestrians. Under the banner “Make Walking Safe”, the Second United Nations Global Road Safety Week (6-12 May) kicks off worldwide. With events registered in around 100 countries, the Week seeks to draw attention to the needs of pedestrians; generate action on measures to protect them; and contribute to achieving the goal of the Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011-2020 to save 5 million lives.

• Second UN Global Road Safety Week

Each year, more than 270 000 pedestrians lose their lives on the world's roads, while millions are left with injuries or permanent disabilities. Pedestrian safety: a road safety manual for decision-makers and practitioners, jointly developed by WHO, the FIA Foundation, the Global Road Safety Partnership and the World Bank, and many experts from around the world, provides practical information on how to plan, implement and evaluate a pedestrian safety programme.

• Pedestrian safety: a road safety manual for decision-makers and practitioners

The Global status report on road safety 2013 serves as a baseline for the Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011-2020, declared by the UN General Assembly. The report presents information on road safety from 182 countries, accounting for almost 99% of the world’s population. It indicates that worldwide the total number of road traffic deaths remains unacceptably high at 1.24 million per year, legislation and enforcement are still inadequate, and pedestrians and cyclists need to be better protected. Made possible through funding from Bloomberg Philanthropies, this is the second in a series of Global status reports.

• Global status report on road safety 2013

The third Sunday in November each year is the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims. Initiated in 1993 by RoadPeace, the event is increasingly celebrated by road safety NGOs and governments around the world. This year events are taking place in at least 50 countries, and serve both to honour victims and promote safety on the world’s roads. In his annual statement on the occasion of the World Day of Remembrance, the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon called for minimizing road traffic deaths and injuries as part of our quest for an equitable and sustainable future.

• World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims