WHO pushes for stronger road safety in Southeast Asia
Photo by Koushik Pal/Unsplash
The World Health Organization (WHO) urges countries in South-East Asia to strengthen road safety measures to reduce traffic deaths and injuries by at least 50% by 2030. It reported that about 1.19 million people died in road crashes worldwide in 2021, including around 330,000 in the WHO South-East Asia Region, accounting for 28% of the global total. Road traffic injuries remain the leading cause of death among people aged 5–29 years. Between 2010 and 2021, estimated road deaths in the region fell by only 2%, compared with a 5% global reduction.
Speaking at the three-day Regional Meeting on Road Safety: Towards Safer Mobility in the South-East Asia Region, Dr Nilesh Buddha, Officer-in-Charge of the WHO South-East Asia Region, said many road deaths and injuries could be prevented through evidence-based measures backed by leadership, investment and accountability.
Powered two- and three-wheeler riders account for 46% of reported road deaths in the region. Pedestrians and cyclists, together with these riders, account for two-thirds of reported fatalities, underscoring the need to protect vulnerable road users.
WHO said countries should improve road and vehicle design, manage speeds, strengthen road safety laws and enforcement, expand public transport access, and provide safer infrastructure for walking and cycling.
Dr Buddha furthered that road safety required clear responsibilities, adequately resourced lead agencies, reliable data and sustained investment, with benefits extending to health, education, livelihoods, equity and sustainable development.
Category: Community
