Road Safety Conference: Africa
A staggering 1.25 million people die on the world’s roads every single year and up to 50 million more are left injured or disabled.
Globally, over 500 children under the age of 18 are killed on the road each day. These numbers make road traffic injuries one of the leading causes of death worldwide and the leading cause of death amongst the most economically active citizens – those between the ages of 15 and 29. The African region has the highest estimated road traffic fatality rate of 26.6 per 100 000 population. Half of all road traffic deaths in the region occur among vulnerable road users (pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists).
The African region has the highest proportion of deaths among pedestrians at 39% ((WHO, 2015). The road traffic-related deaths and injuries have unparalleled health and socio-economic implications on the society.
UNITAR through its Partnership for Action and alongside public and private sector partners, is committed to both strengthening the capacities of government officials and key stakeholders to improve road safety and supporting the implementation of concrete actions that help achieve road safety related targets.
- To facilitate the exchange of knowledge and sharing of effective solutions that reduce road traffic related deaths;
- To empower government officials with technical know-how and management skills to implement interventions that improve road safety;
- To mobilize stakeholders from different sectors to support road safety interventions.
The Conference is a one-day gathering, which addresses the following topics:
- Plenary session on the road safety global framework
- Roundtable discussion on the challenges to and opportunities for making road users safer
- Panel discussion on multi-stakeholder partnerships for road safety
- The key role of academic institutions and civil society in promoting road safety education and research.
A Meeting of the “Johannesburg Road Safety Working Group” took place in the framework of the conference. This Working Group is a multi-stakeholder and multi-sectoral coordinating mechanism that seeks to create and implement innovative and impact-oriented road safety solutions. The Working Group is comprised of representatives from the public and private sector from South Africa.
The training is delivered through lectures, panel discussions, and roundtable discussions, followed by interactive discussions amongst participants.
Senior government officials responsible for road safety and law enforcement, business executives, representatives from social media and academia.