World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims Statement of the Chair of the UN Road Safety Collaboration Dr Etienne Krug 15 November 2015

On this World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims, our hearts go out to the loved ones of those killed and seriously injured on the world’s roads. It is indeed a time to remember them. It is also time to acknowledge that much more must be done to avoid such tragedies. 2015 should be a turning point for road safety worldwide. In September governments around the world set an ambitious target to drastically reduce road traffic deaths and injuries by 50% by 2020.
This week around 1500 delegates from more than 100 countries will gather in Brazil for the 2nd Global High-Level Conference on Road Safety.

This will be a fantastic opportunity to plan concretely how to achieve this bold target by the end of the decade. If they are to succeed, they will need to accelerate action on the proven measures highlighted in the Global status report on road safety 2015. They will need to:
improve laws and enforcement on risks such as speeding, drinking and driving, and failing to use seat-belts, motorcycle helmets and child restraints;
update roads with protective infrastructure such as sidewalks and dedicated lanes for pedestrians and cyclists;
ensure that vehicles everywhere are equipped with life-saving technologies including seat-belts and air bags; and
enhance emergency trauma care systems for victims. The best way to honour the memory of those who have suffered on the world’s roads would be for governments to fulfil the commitments they have made this year. My colleagues and I wish you a successful World Day of Remembrance.

http://www.who.int/roadsafety/remembrance_day/en/