A Paradigm Shift: Reimagining Global Road Safety Management

For too long, the specter of traffic fatalities has loomed large on our global landscape. Every year, an estimated 1.35 million lives are tragically cut short due to road crashes, a disproportionate 90% occurring in low- and middle-income countries. This sobering statistic, representing the leading cause of death for young people aged 15-29, is not merely a grim reality; it's an unacceptable human cost, a global epidemic demanding immediate and decisive action.

Prior to the turn of the millennium, road safety often remained a fragmented, under-prioritized concern. However, a pivotal shift emerged in 2004 with the landmark UN Resolution 58/289. This resolution entrusted the World Health Organization (WHO) with the mandate to coordinate global road safety efforts, marking a crucial turning point in the fight against this devastating issue.

The United Nations Road Safety Collaboration (UNRSC), established in the wake of this resolution, served as a vital platform for fostering international collaboration and knowledge sharing. The subsequent years saw the release of key WHO reports, like the 2004 and 2009 World Reports on Road Traffic Injury Prevention, that shed light on the magnitude and root causes of the problem, laying the groundwork for evidence-based interventions.

In 2008, a paradigm shift in road safety philosophy took center stage with the introduction of the Safe System Approach by the OECD/ITF. This revolutionary framework, underpinned by the core principle that human life is paramount and death or serious injury from road crashes is unacceptable, fundamentally reshaped the way we approach road safety.

The Safe System Approach emphasizes a shared responsibility among all stakeholders – governments, policymakers, engineers, educators, enforcement agencies, and ultimately, road users themselves – to create a road system that is inherently forgiving of human error.

This proactive approach acknowledges the limitations of human behavior and the potential for mistakes, advocating for infrastructure design, vehicle safety features, and traffic management systems that can mitigate the consequences of such errors and prevent fatalities.

To translate the Safe System Approach into tangible action, the WHO, in collaboration with the UNRSC, developed the Global Road Safety Management System Framework in 2009.

This comprehensive framework serves as a roadmap for countries to design and implement effective road safety programs at the national level.

The framework's pyramidal structure highlights the crucial role of results-focused management functions at the base, guiding policy development and implementation across five key pillars:

• Coordination: Establishing a comprehensive and coordinated national road safety strategy.
• Legislation: Enacting and enforcing effective road safety laws and regulations.
• Funding: Securing sustainable financial resources for road safety initiatives.
• Promotion: Raising public awareness and promoting behavioral change through education and advocacy campaigns.
• Monitoring and Evaluation: Continuously tracking progress and adapting strategies based on data-driven insights.

The past decade has witnessed a concerted global effort to tackle the road safety crisis. The UN Decade of Action for Road Safety (2011-2020) served as a rallying cry, uniting stakeholders around five key pillars – Management, Safer Roads, Safer Vehicles, Safer Users, and Post-Crash Response – with the ambitious goal of stabilizing and reducing global road deaths. Building upon the momentum of the first

Decade of Action, the Second Decade of Action (2021-2030) has set an even more audacious target: a 50% reduction in road traffic deaths and injuries by 2030. This ambitious vision aligns seamlessly with the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, recognizing that road safety is inextricably linked to broader goals of health, well-being, and economic prosperity

India, with its burgeoning population and rapidly expanding road network, faces a unique and complex challenge in ensuring road safety. Recognizing the gravity of the situation, the Indian Constitution acknowledges road safety and transport as a concurrent subject, placing responsibility for this critical issue on both the national and state governments.

This collaborative approach, coupled with initiatives like the National Road Safety Council and Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act 2019, demonstrates India's commitment to implementing the Global Road Safety Management System Framework and adopting evidence-based interventions.

The fight against road fatalities is not a spectator sport; it demands active participation from every stakeholder. As road safety professionals, we are at the forefront of this movement, carrying the torch of knowledge and expertise. Our collective effort