Open Letter to Global Leaders on Road Safety and Sustainable Mobility

Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC) has signed the Open Letter to Global Leaders on Road Safety and Sustainable Mobility on the eve of the 4th Global Ministerial Conference on Road Safety, 18–20 February 2025, Marrakech, Morocco.

Subject: Commitment to Global Road Safety

We represent a coalition of civil society organizations dedicated to advancing global road safety, unified by the goal to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3.6: “By 2030, halve the number of global deaths and injuries from road traffic crashes”.

We stand ready to support governments in implementing the 2nd Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011–2030 and achieving the UN SDGs for road safety and sustainable mobility.

Current State of Global Road Safety: The WHO’s Global Status Report on Road Safety 2023 shows progress: globally, road traffic deaths reduced by 5% to 1.19 million from 1.25 million between 2010 and 2021. However, this reduction is well short of the 50% target1.

In addition to each of these 1.19 million lives cut short and families left grieving, between 20 to 50 million people each year suffer life-altering injuries2,3. The situation is particularly dire in low- and middle-income countries4. Across the world, road traffic crashes remain the leading cause of death for children and youth aged 5-295. Without urgent intervention, we will not meet the targets set for 2030.

A Global Equity Issue: Safe mobility is integral to addressing many other global crises, from health to climate change. UN resolution A/78/L.78 on Improving global road safety6 calls for scale up of efforts to meet the SDG targets.

While many multilateral agencies and governments have taken meaningful steps, there is an urgent need for intensified political will, increased investment, and evidence-based action plans to fully achieve the road safety goals and enable safe, affordable, accessible, and sustainable mobility for all.

Economic and Social Impact: Road crashes impose a heavy personal and societal burden. Estimates put the global macroeconomic cost of road traffic injuries as high as US$ 3.6 trillion7, with the national cost typically 3-5% of global gross domestic product (GDP)8,9. At a personal level, they lead to loss of work, debt, and ongoing physical and psychological ill health10.

Increased investment to rethink mobility and focus on results-based financing of proven road safety interventions will unlock significant social and economic benefits.

The 4th Ministerial Conference on Road Safety: The upcoming 4th Global Ministerial Conference on Road Safety (Ministerial Conference) to be held 17-20 February 2025 in Marrakech, Morocco, offers a critical moment for global leaders to reaffirm their commitment to save lives.

It is an opportunity to evaluate progress, share best practices, revitalize country commitments and foster new partnerships. We call on leaders to participate actively, showing their dedication to halving road traffic deaths and injuries by 2030.

Commitment Needed:

We, as civil society organizations, demand the prioritization of road safety in funding for mobility systems at both domestic and international levels. Countries must implement the recommendations of the Global Plan for the Decade of Action 2021–2030 (Global Plan)11 including meeting and exceeding the 12 UN Member State-agreed Global Road Safety Performance Targets12, with a particular focus on promoting walking, cycling and public transport, and protecting those who choose and rely on these modes of transport.

Call to Action

We urge global leaders and stakeholders to commit to the following actions:

Ahead of the Ministerial Conference

1. Bring Multisectoral Delegations: Ensure the inclusion of representatives from youth, NGOs and other civil society in delegations to the Ministerial Conference to reflect the shared responsibility and diversity of experience needed to make our roads safe for all.

2. Identify Commitments: prepare and make specific, measurable and funded commitments in line with the Global Plan that have been proven to reduce road deaths and injuries.

After the Ministerial Conference

3. Invest and Act: Allocate and mobilize sufficient resources to halve road deaths and injuries by 2030.

4. Implement Evidence-Based Interventions: Implement proven measures recommended in the Global Plan, including the Global Road Safety Performance Targets.

5. Prioritize Active Mobility: Integrate safe walking and cycling into national strategies for road safety, health, and sustainability.

6. Engage Civil Society: Create platforms for those who use the roads every day to meaningfully participate in road safety decisions that affect them. In particular, include youth as the most affected demographic, road victims and their families who bring powerful lived experience, and NGOs who represent diverse communities, leveraging their unique strengths to deliver on road safety.

7. Keep Accountability: Establish robust mechanisms with clear metrics to monitor progress and hold stakeholders accountable for policy, investment and programmatic commitments.

We look forward to partnering with you in this crucial mission to save lives and make our roads safe for everyone who uses them worldwide.

https://sites.google.com/youthforroadsafety.org/commitment-to-global-road-safe/home