Road Safety

One UN vision for road safety

Why the UN Road Safety Strategy is important to UNDSS?

Road traffic crashes are a leading cause of death and serious injury to United Nations personnel. Road traffic crashes involving UN vehicles are also a cause of fatalities and serious injuries in the communities we serve. The UN Road Safety Strategy was launched in 2019, with the objective of reducing the number of road crashes by 50 per cent by 2030.

Since the adoption of the first Decade of Action (2011-2020) , a multi-sectoral and holistic approach to road safety management has been implemented in the UN. The Strategy manages the interaction between speed, vehicles, road-user behavior, and road infrastructure. The five pillars of the Strategy - road safety management, safer vehicles, safer road users, post-crash response, and safer driving environments — has proven to achieve a comprehensive view of road safety in the UN while providing a conceptual framework to our road safety work.

The ambitious target of reducing road deaths and serious injuries by 50 per cent that were set with the Global Decade of Action for Road Safety (2011-2020) and SDG 3.6, were renewed on 2021. The Second Decade of Action for Road Safety 2021-2030 was proclaimed in UN Resolution A/RES/74/299 on Improving Global Road Safety with a target to reduce road deaths and serious injuries by 50 per cent by the end of 2030. The Resolution noted that “…the overwhelming majority of road traffic deaths and serious injuries are preventable and that, despite some improvements in many countries, including in developing countries, they remain a major public health and development problem that has broad social and economic consequences which, if unaddressed, may affect progress towards the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, The Decade of Action is underpinned by the Global Plan, which is the guide for governments to achieving the 2030 target."

The launch of the Strategy and the Decade of Action, has contributed to the efforts to reduce the number of deaths and serious injuries resulting from road traffic crashes, and we strive to continue towards the target.

Traffic on the busy streets of Nairobi ©FIA Foundation

UNGA adopts new resolution on improving global road safety

The UN General Assembly (GA) adopted a new resolution (A/74/299) on road safety on 31 August 2020. The GA recognizes the role of the Department of Safety and Security (UNDSS) in implementing the UN Road Safety Strategy for reducing road traffic crashes and fatalities.

Paragraph 32 notes [the General Assembly] "welcomes the measures taken by the Secretary-General, the organizations of the United Nations system and the Department of Safety and Security of the Secretariat to enhance road safety through the implementation of the United Nations system road safety strategy so as to reduce road traffic crashes and casualties resulting from such incidents among United Nations personnel and the civilian population in host countries."

The resolution also includes the following key provisions:

endorses the Stockholm Declaration;
proclaims a Second Decade of Action for Road Safety 2021 – 2030, with a goal to reduce deaths and injuries by 50% by 2030 -- an adjustment to the target date for Sustainable Development Goal 3.6;
requests for the World Health Organization (WHO), the UN-system and other stakeholders to prepare a plan of action for the Second Decade; and
agrees to convene a high-level meeting of the UNGA on road safety no later than the end of 2022.

The Division of Specialized Operational Support in UNDSS will continue to lead on road safety management initiatives in support of the objective of the strategy, the new resolution and the strategic vision of the Department.

For more information on the road safety programme, contact: undss.policy@un.org

Road safety launch

On 28 February 2019, the UN Road Safety Strategy was launched in New York and Geneva. More than 250 participants from the UN-system, Member States, civil society, philanthropic organizations, academia and the private sector attended the launch at UNHQ. UN leaders from the UN Development Programme (UNDP), the UN Department of Safety and Security (UNDSS), the UN Department for Operational Support (DOS), the UN Department of Peace Operations (DPO), the UN Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (DPPA), the UN Population Fund (UNFPA), the Medical Director’s Working Group, the Chef de Cabinet and the SG’s Special Envoy on Road Safety showed unity and shared a consistent message on the importance and urgency of road safety across the UN. Their personal anecdotes helped engage the audience. New road safety campaign materials were created, including branding, flyers and two road safety films, for outreach on the UN Road Safety Strategy. The New York launch broke new ground by introducing elements not typically seen in UN meetings; including an interactive quiz, staff testimonials and the sharing of external best practices.

Safer journeys... begin with us #roadtosafety