Skip to main content

ITF’s three-point plan to reduce road deaths

A three-point plan to help countries reduce road deaths and serious injuries has been unveiled at the International Transport Forum (ITF) in Leipzig, Germany. The keynote address by Prince Michael of Kent, a member of the UK’s royal family, was presented to transport ministers at a summit focused on transport safety and security. Outside of the ITF, Prince Michael is known for establishing an award scheme that recognises innovation in road safety worldwide.
May 24, 2018 Read time: 2 mins
A three-point plan to help countries reduce road deaths and serious injuries has been unveiled at the 998 International Transport Forum (ITF) in Leipzig, Germany. The keynote address by Prince Michael of Kent, a member of the UK’s royal family, was presented to transport ministers at a summit focused on transport safety and security.


Outside of the ITF, Prince Michael is known for establishing an award scheme that recognises innovation in road safety worldwide.

Speaking upon the UN Sustainable Development Goals to halve road deaths and injuries by 2020, he said:
“Unfortunately, it is clear now that this will not be achieved. Worse still, if present trends continue, the World Bank has forecast that by 2030 another 21.7 million deaths and 875.7 million injuries will occur on the world’s roads.”

Going forward, he recommended a new UN road safety target will help get the goals back on track.

“The serious risk is that, without a new casualty reduction target, the road safety performance of UN member states will be weakly measured and consequently poorly managed,” he added.

The second proposal involves mobilising new resources to finance road injury prevention programmes. Prince Michael is pleased the UK has served a contributor of the World Bank’s global road safety facility, “but now is the time for other countries to come forward and become new donors to the cause”.

Thirdly, Prince Michael stressed a much stronger political commitment to road safety is necessary. He welcomed the Towards Zero Foundation’s decision to establish the Global Network for Road Safety Legislators which aims to encourage parliamentarians to share best practice in road safety legislation and policies.

“Political engagement like this will be a ‘sine qua non’ of effective road injury prevention in the decade to 2030.”

To conclude, Prince Michael advised transport ministers to consider what is at stake between now and 2030.

“Think of the lives that will be lost, the families shattered, and the tragic waste from another twenty million or more road fatalities.”

A full copy of the speech is available %$Linker: 2 External <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-16"?><dictionary /> 0 0 0 link-external here false https://www.itf-oecd.org/keynote-speech-hrh-prince-michael-kent false false%>.

UTC

Related Content

  • April 30, 2012
    ITF leads the global debate on connectivity
    Political decision-makers, industry leaders, transport experts, and top thinkers from around the world, will debate how to create more seamless transport solutions for passengers and freight at the 2012 Summit of the International Transport Forum. The summit on “Seamless Transport: Making Connections” will take place May 2-4 in Leipzig, Germany, and aims to drive the international debate on better connectivity. The event will be held under the Presidency of Japan. The International Transport Forum at the OE
  • May 22, 2015
    ITF Annual Summit 2015
    The Annual Summit of the International Transport Forum 2015 will take place from 27-29 May in Leipzig, Germany, with the theme of Transport, Trade and Tourism. The summit is the unique platform for global discussions on strategies for transport in the 21st century. Since 2008, the Annual Summit has developed into the leading global get-together of the key players in transport and transport-related sectors, providing a unique platform for high-level exchange on strategic policy issues. Transport minist
  • May 25, 2018
    New York City wins ITF award
    New York City has won the 2018 Transport Achievement Award of the International Transport Forum (ITF) at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. The city’s Department of Transportation was recognised for its commitment to Vision Zero – a programme set up to help cut and eliminate traffic deaths. Mayor Bill de Blasio launched the city’s Vision Zero programme in New York in 2014. The initiative is said to have reduced the number of traffic deaths on New York’s streets by 20% and halved
  • November 20, 2018
    Interactive map reveals the UK’s riskiest roads
    The A254 between the junction with A28 in Margate and the junction with the A255 near Ramsgate is the UK’s riskiest road, according to an interactive Dangerous Road Map. There were 26 fatal and serious crashes per billion vehicle kilometres on this road, say motor insurer Ageas and the Road Safety Foundation (RSF). Both organisations are now calling on an immediate investment from the UK government of £75 million, and the same amount annually for five years thereafter to improve the country’s riskiest