UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon has urged the international community to support the Make Roads Safe campaign’s call for a first ever UN conference on road safety.

In a report to the UN General Assembly ‘Improving Global Road Safety’, the UN Secretary General acknowledges that there is a “pressing need” for governments to reduce road deaths and calls for action to “support efforts to hold a ministerial conference on road safety, under the auspices of the United Nations”. Mr. Ban also warns that the road injury epidemic in developing countries “could become noticeably worse within the next decade” and says that “increased efforts must be made to secure additional financial support for road safety projects”.

The report has been issued to brief UN delegations in advance of a planned General Assembly debate in March 2008.

FIA Foundation Director General David Ward said it is encouraging that the UN is addressing the issue from both a public health and international development perspective.

“The UN can no longer ignore the fact that far too many people are dying on our roads. Road deaths are now the number one killer of young people aged 10 to 24 all over the world. Concerted international action is urgently needed and the UN Secretary General’s support is very welcome”.

A key recommendation of the report is to “support efforts” to hold a high level Ministerial conference on road safety under the auspices of the UN.

Notes to editors
- The Make Roads Safe campaign will submit a petition to the UN Secretary General ahead of the March 2008 UN General Assembly debate urging support for international action to tackle the crisis. The campaign, led by UK based charity the FIA Foundation has called for a global Ministerial meeting on road safety. - The UN Secretary General’s report is available here: http://www.makeroadssafe.com/documents/un_secretary_general_global_road_
safety_2007.pdf

ENDS
For more information: Avi Silverman, FIA Foundation 07967229374