From various international events on promoting RADAR project partnerships and best practices for improving road safety to a resolution that was recently submitted and ultimately adopted by the United Nations General Assembly, one could argue 2020 is the year of metamorphosis for road safety.

The resolution proclaims the period 2021–2030 as the Second Decade of Action for Road Safety, with a goal of reducing road traffic deaths and injuries by at least 50% from 2021 to 2030. The resolution calls upon member states to continue action on all road safety targets including SDGs target 3.6.

The Decade of Action for Road Safety, officially proclaimed by the UN General Assembly in March 2010, seeks to save millions of lives by building road safety management capacity; improving the safety of road infrastructure; further developing the safety of vehicles; enhancing the behaviour of road users, and improving post-crash response. Guided by the Global Plan, the Decade of Action offers a framework for policy, practice, and advocacy to help countries achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development recognizes that road safety is a prerequisite to ensuring healthy lives, promoting well-being, and making cities inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable.

The draft resolution especially encourages the Member States to make efforts to ensure the safety and protection of all road users through safer road infrastructure by taking into account the needs of motorized and non-motorized transport, and other vulnerable road users, especially on the highest-risk roads with high rates of crashes, through a combination of proper planning and safety assessment, including through the identification of crash-prone areas, design, building and maintenance of roads, signal systems and other infrastructure, taking into consideration the geography of the country.

See HERE the Draft Resolution.