Photo Credit: Estiara Ellizar | Bandung City, Indonesia 2023
LEADERS WILL GATHER AT THE GLOBAL MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE
ON ROAD SAFETY IN FEBRUARY 2025 TO AGREE ON ACTIONS TO
REDUCE ROAD TRAUMA BY 2030.
Organisations involved in designing and financing road infrastructure are pledging their commitment for safer roads, and supporting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to save lives!
Make your voice heard!
In support of the UN SDG Goal to halve road deaths and injuries by 2030 and the Global Plan
for the Decade of Action for Road Safety 2021-2030 make the following commitments:
We/I ...
Role of all
Stand for safer roads that enable more sustainable mobility and commit our support for achieving the road safety SDGs and the 12 UN Global Road Safety Performance Targets.
Role of government, private sector and funders
In support of UN Target 3, commit to including Road Safety Audits, Inspections and Star Rating Assessments for new and improved road designs that aim for at least a standard of three-stars or better for all road users by 2030.
Role of government, private-sector road owners and funders
In support of UN Target 4, commit to undertaking crash-risk mapping and proactive safety assessments and inspections that target investment in safer infrastructure and safer speeds that aim for more than 75% of travel on existing roads to meet at least a standard of three-stars or better for all road users (or equivalent) by 2030.
Or write your own ...
TAKE THE LEAD - MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD
107 Pledges - 52 Countries
Initiating Partners:
Supporting Partners:
The following countries have published Strategies and Action Plans that align to UN Targets 3 and 4:
Australia
Malawi
Brazil
New Zealand
Cayman Islands
Philippines
China
Peru
Croatia
Saudi Arabia
Gambia
Slovenia
Georgia
Tanzania
Grécia
Thailand
Indonesia
Pakistan
Kenya
Uganda
Lao PDR
United Kingdom
Malaysia
Vietnam
The campaign
From 17-20 February 2025, leaders from across the world will gather at the 4th Global Ministerial Conference on Road Safety in Morocco to agree action on global road safety.
Leaders will assess the progress made in implementing the Global Plan for the Decade of Action for Road Safety 2021-2030 during its initial five-year period, and generate support for safe and sustainable mobility. Success in achieving the global target of a 50% reduction in deaths and injuries by 2030 hinges on strong action on safer roads.
During the Ministerial Conference, we will present leaders with pledges made in this campaign, giving you a voice in global road safety.
What is it all about?
More than 3,200 people are killed in road crashes every day. Road crashes are the leading cause of death for young people.
But this is just the tip of the iceberg. More than 130,000 people suffer injuries every day, including severe brain injury, quadriplegia, fractures, internal injuries and burns. Road crashes often result in life-long suffering and disability, and place a huge toll on families and communities.
Less than half of roads assessed worldwide by iRAP Partners are rated
3-stars or more (out of 5 stars) for safety.
A 3-star rating is widely accepted as the minimum acceptable rating for new and old roads. Assessments performed by partners using the iRAP tools show that only 17% of roads meet a 3-star or higher rating for pedestrians; 23% for cyclists; 29% for powered two- and three- wheelers; and 49% for vehicle occupants.
Road infrastructure safety treatments save lives and prevent injuries.
Photo ID 22509522 © FernandoPodolski | iStock
Photo ID 182988877 © Wirestock | Dreamstime.com
Proven treatments such as traffic calming, safety barriers, bicycle paths, pedestrian sidewalks and crossings can have a profound effect on the safety of a road environment.
Johns Hopkins University research estimates that almost 700,000 fatalities and serious injuries have been prevented in safer road projects from 2016 to the end of 2024 that used the iRAP tools.
Take a look at life-saving case studies from around the world.
Safe roads can transform mobility and are cost-effective.
Safe road environments are conducive to sustainable forms of transport; when people feel that an environment is safe they are more likely to feel comfortable walking and cycling.
Evidence shows that lifting the Star Rating by a single star can halve crash costs. For every $1 invested in achieving the targets set out in the UN Global Plan for Road Safety, more than $8 in crash costs would be avoided.
Photo ID 1279831403 © deberarr| iStock
The UN Global Plan for Road Safety and UN Targets 3 and 4.
The UN Global Plan supports the Decade of Action for Road Safety 2021-30 and the SDG aim of halving deaths and injuries by 2030. It was created by the WHO, UN Regional Commissions and partners in the UN Road Safety Collaboration.
The UN Global Plan’s road safety performance targets include:
- UN Target 3: By 2030, all new roads achieve technical standards for all road users that take into account road safety, or meet a three star rating or better.
- UN Target 4: By 2030, more than 75% of travel on existing roads is on roads that meet technical standards for all road users that take into account road safety [e.g. three star rating or better].
The UN Global Plan recommends that countries make use of Road Safety Audits and Star Ratings to improve the safety of roads and designs.
What are Star Ratings?
Star Ratings have been adopted by UN Member States as the global standard for measuring the level of safety ‘built in’ to the design of a road for pedestrians, bicyclists, motorcyclists and pedestrians. A Star Rating can be produced for a location in as little as 10 minutes using the freely available Star Rating Demonstrator or using the comprehensive fit-for-purpose iRAP Tools.
Photo ID 292033232 © Cristianlourenco Dreamstime.com
What are Road Safety Audits?
A Road Safety Audit (RSA) is the formal safety performance examination of an existing road or design or intersection by an independent, multidisciplinary team. It qualitatively estimates and reports on potential road safety issues and identifies opportunities for improvements in safety for all road users.
Putting Road Safety Audits and Star Ratings together...
Star Ratings and RSAs represent different, yet complementary, approaches to road infrastructure safety management. By combining the two, the potential of each approach can be amplified to prevent deaths and injuries.
What else can I do?
As a planner, designer, builder or financier of roads:
- Support Target 3 by ensuring that road projects include Road Safety Audits and Star Rating targets for each road user.
- For your road projects, undertake a spot Star Rating using the Star Rating Demonstrator or full Star Rating using the free Star Rating for Designs (SR4D) web-app.
- Complete a Star Rating Certification for your road design and celebrate and share the results.
- Take training on Star Ratings and Road Safety Audits.
- Get accredited to perform iRAP assessments and Road Safety Audits.
For all:
- Share and encourage support for the call to action in your networks. Encourage your and other organisations to make a pledge.
- An online pledge is sufficient, but if you need more formal documentation to share with management, download the ‘Pledge for Safer Roads and Mobility – Commitment Briefing Document’ which can also be signed.
- Celebrate your pledge!
- Submit your organisation’s logo for inclusion as a Supporting Partner.
- Host a Pledge Signing Event to celebrate your commitment and build shared passion and purpose within your organisation and networks.
- Download the Campaign Toolkit for event ideas, the pledge photo board, and social media content and assets, which can be used to celebrate and amplify your pledge.
- See case studies of success.
- For road safety data and dashboards to support your work with evidence:
- Learn more about the scale of the road safety problem in your country using the iRAP Safety Insights Explorer.
- Access IRF World Road Statistics for more than 200 indicators on 200 countries/territories.
- See the strategies or action plans of countries that have aligned with the Global Plan for safer roads.
As a road safety advocate:
- Use the Global Alliance of NGOs for Road Safety Mobility Snapshots to support local advocacy.
- Support the youth voice in road safety decision-making. Visit Youth for Road Safety to see how.
Photo ID 73385465 © Alf Ribeiro | Dreamstime.com
Photo ID 233823959 © Iakov Filimonov | Dreamstime.com
Timeline
August 2024
Global Campaign launch
14-17 October
IRF World Congress, Istanbul, Türkiye
- Release of enhanced Star Rating for Designs (SR4D) Web App.
- High-level Roundtable ‘Shaping the Future of Road Designs for Safe and Sustainable Mobility’.
- Master-class training in Safe Road Design.
17-20 February 2025
4th Global Ministerial Conference on Road Safety, Marrakech, Morocco
Commitment Ceremony celebrating individuals and companies who have pledged to do road safety audits and star ratings for every road design, with the goal to achieve 3-stars or better for every road user by 2030.
