Participants in new phase of global road safety initiative selected

Bloomberg Philanthropies has announced the winning cities and countries selected to participate in a new phase of the foundation's Global Road Safety Initiative, which aims to reduce fatalities and injuries from road traffic crashes. With a new commitment of US $125 million over five years, the program will work at both the national level to strengthen road safety legislation and the city level implementing proven road safety interventions. Twenty invited cities participated in the competition with ten c
February 13, 2015 Read time: 3 mins

Bloomberg Philanthropies has announced the winning cities and countries selected to participate in a new phase of the foundation's Global Road Safety Initiative, which aims to reduce fatalities and injuries from road traffic crashes.

With a new commitment of US $125 million over five years, the program will work at both the national level to strengthen road safety legislation and the city level implementing proven road safety interventions. Twenty invited cities participated in the competition with ten cities and five countries selected as official participants in the program. The five countries selected to receive technical support to review and strengthen road safety legislation include China, India, Philippines, Thailand and Tanzania.

The ten cities are: Accra, Ghana; Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; Bandung, Indonesia; Bangkok, Thailand; Bogota, Colombia; Fortaleza, Brazil; Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam; Mumbai, India; Sao Paulo, Brazil; and Shanghai, China.

Senior-level, full-time staff will work within city governments on their road safety initiatives for up to five years. Comprehensive technical assistance will be provided by the world's leading road safety organisations, together with training for police officers and other relevant city staff and support to create hard-hitting mass media campaigns.

"We can prevent millions of road traffic fatalities and injuries through stronger laws, more effective enforcement and better infrastructure. The 10 cities selected to participate in our next five-year road safety program have demonstrated a commitment to this work, and we are excited to support them," said Michael R. Bloomberg, founder of Bloomberg Philanthropies and three-term mayor of New York City. "Road traffic deaths will become increasingly common in the years ahead, unless we take decisive action now to prevent them."

The proposals that cities submitted detailed how they plan to address road safety by applying solutions to a number of challenges including improving pedestrian and cyclist safety, increasing awareness through graphic media campaigns and increasing police enforcement to combat drinking and driving and speeding as well as encouraging the use of motorcycle helmets, seat-belts and child restraints. Infrastructure solutions such as widened sidewalks and improved pedestrian crossings are also included in the cities' proposals.

With assistance from the world's leading experts in road safety, winning cities will establish an elite network of visionary municipal leaders who commit to implementing bold, new efforts to save lives and protect their citizens from road traffic injuries.

Related Content

  • On a WIM – a global view of weigh in motion
    May 25, 2016
    Q-Free’s Andrew Lees looks at regional characteristics and technology trends in the global Weigh-In-Motion market. The principles of Weigh-In-Motion (WIM) are well established. Data derived from vehicles passing over in-ground sensors can be interpreted for vehicle classification (axle counts and spacing) and positive identification (especially when linked to image capture) applications as well as to derive individual axle and gross vehicle weight (GVW).
    Read More
  • Hampshire Constabulary opts for Truvelo speed enforcement
    March 8, 2013
    The UK’s Hampshire Constabulary’s Safer Roads Unit has recently introduced new mobile speed enforcement technology to combat excessive speeds on the county’s roads. The LASERwitness Lite from Truvelo comprises laser speed measurement and digital video technology, combined with built in infra-red illumination for night time operation. The unit is extremely compact and can even be deployed from a police motorcycle if desired. This is beneficial in those locations where there is no suitable parking for a spe
    Read More
  • Private investment in Latin American infrastructure on the rise
    January 23, 2015
    Private investment in infrastructure projects has grown significantly over the past decade in Latin America's six largest economies, with the exception of Mexico and Argentina, according to a Standard & Poor's report. In Mexico the retraction in private investment is explained by poor planning and execution of projects on the part of the government. Meanwhile in Argentina, the dip is explained by government intervention, according to the report. Outside the two regional powerhouses, private sector par
    Read More
  • IAM calls on government to increase targeted enforcement
    June 4, 2015
    The Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) is urging the new government to increase its efforts in promoting road safety by giving targeted enforcement a higher priority. With the yet-to-be-revealed figures for 2014 shaping up to show an increase in deaths and injuries on UK roads, the IAM believes the new government must make road traffic policing a core priority function for police forces and commissioners in England and Wales. The call comes following a survey conducted by the IAM throughout April 2
    Read More

Highlighted Content