Norman Mineta Calls for Action to 'Make Roads Safe'

Former US Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta has given his support for international action on global road deaths. Secretary Mineta served as US Secretary of Commerce under President Bill Clinton and then in the Cabinet of President George W. Bush as the longest serving Transportation Secretary in US history. During his first four years as Transportation Secretary, America achieved the lowest vehicle fatality rate ever recorded and the highest safety belt usage rate ever recorded. Secretary Mineta was instrumental in persuading every state in the country to set a blood alcohol rate at .08 percent. A strong supporter of international action on global road safety, Secretary Mineta attended the first UN General Assembly debate on global road traffic injuries in April 2004, and supported inclusion of a budget line for work on global road safety in the most recent U.S. transportation funding bill (SAFETEA-LU) passed by Congress. He resigned as Transportation Secretary in July 2006.

In a message for the Make Roads Safe campaign in the United States, Secretary Mineta said: “Every year, 1.2 million people around the world, including 43,000 of our fellow Americans, are killed by motor vehicle crashes – and millions more are severely disabled. These deaths and injuries exact an enormous emotional and financial toll on our communities. But we can prevent this needless suffering by raising awareness, building support, and making road safety a priority for every country. Having served as both the former US Secretary of Transportation and US Secretary of Commerce, I know that road safety is important to our health, our economy, and our quality of life and I am committed to improving transportation safety for all people. Let’s work together to Make Roads Safe, for our nation and for the world”.

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