IRF WELCOMES BRASILIA DECLARATION FOR THE NEW FIGHT FOR ROAD SAFETY

The two day 2nd Global High-Level Conference on Road Safety was organized by the Brazilian Minister of Health in partnership with the World Health Organization (WHO), the Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO) and the informal group of the Friends of the Decade of Action. More than 1,500 participants from 120 countries attend the conference with objective to evaluate the progress of initiatives to reduce road traffic deaths and injuries worldwide through the UN Decade of Action for Road Safety, which has reached its mid-point. The Indian Delegation was led by Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari.

“India is committed to improve safety, efficiency and sustainability in the transport sector and is striving to reduce road accidents by 50 per cent till 2020 and country fully endorses the “Safe System Approach” being advocated by the United Nations and is making concerted efforts to achieve the goals set under the UN Decade of Action to reduce accidents by half till 2020. We are collaborating with International Road Federation (IRF), WHO and World Bank who are assisting by way of strengthening the capabilities of various institutions, enhancing awareness, improving engineering designs for safer roads, improved trauma care and host of related activities,” said Mr Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways ,While speaking at the conference.

“India is signatory to UN decade of Action to half accidents by year 2020 . With 80 per cent of all road deaths worldwide estimated in low income countries , India leads the world inroad accident deaths, with around 1,39,000 people being killed each year. India accounts for 10 % of global road accident deaths . Safer roads and mobility is one of the five pillars of the UN Global Plan for the Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011-2020. The pillar emphasizes the need to raise the inherent safety and protective quality of road networks for the benefit of all road users.” Said Mr K.K.Kapila, Chairman, International Road Federation (IRF).while speaking at the Conference.

“International Road Federation (IRF) welcomes adoption of The Brasilia Declaration by various countries including India, which recommends the actions that must be taken in order to reach the goals of the Decade and the targets of the Sustainable Development Goals. These actions include Stronger road safety management, legislation and enforcement, promotion of safer roads and sustainable modes of transport, protection of vulnerable road users, development and promotion of safer vehicles,increased awareness and capacity of road users, Improvements in post-crash response and rehabilitation services, Strengthened cooperation and coordination towards global road safety, and up scaling of financing for road safety.” Said Mr Kapila .

“Some of the initiatives for safer mobility to be taken include identifying hazardous road locations or sections where excessive numbers or severity of crashes occur and take corrective measures accordingly and also to promote the development of safe new infrastructure that meets the mobility and access needs through use of independent road safety audit findings in the design and other phases of new road projects. And achieving road safety through influencing vehicle safety design via deployment of improved vehicle safety technologies for both passive and active safety through a combination of relevant global standards, consumer information schemes and incentives to accelerate the uptake of new technologies.” Said Mr Kapila.

“Conscious that the most vulnerable road users in developing low and middle income countries like India are pedestrians, cyclists, users of motorised two-and-three wheeled vehicles and passengers of unsafe public transport, improving road safety therefore also requires addressing wider issues of equitable access to sustainable mobility modes of and transport, addressing deficiencies in roadway design in land use and urban planning, in particular road infrastructure . Discourage the use of vehicles that lack basic safety design or safety features, or are poorly maintained, controlling inappropriate and excessive speeding, drinking and driving” said Mr Kapila.