This is my street. These are our streets. This is the voice of a new generation demanding action. Action to make the streets safe and healthy, to tackle air pollution, to combat climate change, and to design livable cities. 

“This is my street” is an advocacy campaign, launched and led by the Child Health Initiative, hosted at and coordinated by the FIA Foundation (Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile). The campaign is calling on national and city leaders to transform streets for children, youth, and climate. Striking numbers are leading to a call for action. Worldwide, an estimated 250,000 children and adolescents are killed in road traffic crashes every year. Road traffic is a significant contributor and factor to urban air pollution. A similar number of young people die per year because of its effects. According to the World Health Organization, road traffic injuries are the leading cause of death for children and young adults aged 5 to 29 years. In the SABRINA project team, we are joining the belief of the Child Health Initiative that every life lost is a preventable tragedy. 

Amongst SABRINA project partners’ countries, Moldova is the one that is dealing with the lowest quality of the roads and a high number of road fatalities. However, this is changing. Luckily for the better and there is a big role played by SABRINA project partner Automobile Club of Moldova (ACM). In 2008, 509 people died on the roads in Moldova. This is a high number for a country with a population of 3.5 million people. In 2018, the number dropped to 274, which means they reduced the road fatalities by almost half. Successful work in Moldova in reducing the road casualties was recognized also in the  2020 Road Safety Annual Report published by International Transport Forum and OECD, where Moldova takes 4th place in the percentage change in the number of road deaths in the period from 2010 to 2018 (see Figure 2). This is a great accomplishment for Moldova, and the ACM played a significant role.

However, there is still a lot of work to be done. In 2019, 2572 road crashes were registered in Moldova. The number of fatalities rose slightly in comparison to 2018 since 277 people died and another 3028 suffered various injuries. 17 Moldovan children lost their lives in road accidents last year. Cyclists were involved in 141 registered road accidents, because of which 10 people died and 131 were injured. 

To improve the road and street infrastructure for vulnerable road users and to make the streets more accessible for children, the elderly, people with low mobility, emergency services, pedestrians, and cyclists, the ACM joined the #ThisIsMyStreet campaign. With the aim to raise awareness and promote safe mobility for vulnerable road users they published a dance on social media, which also alerts the authorities responsible for street planning to consider the accessibility standards when planning, repairing, or building streets. The campaign organized by the ACM received wide support, amongst others by the FIA, FIA Foundation, National Inspectorate of Public Safety, General Inspectorate for Emergency Situations, Center for the Rights of People with Disabilities, Federation of Blind Athletes of Moldova, Working Group for Alternative Transport, and many others. Check their awareness-raising dancing video HERE.

With this campaign, the ACM is making another step towards safer and healthier streets in Moldova and joining the global #ThisIsMyStreet action. In the framework of the global campaign, a 2030 Manifesto to transform the streets was published. It is an agenda for safe, child- and climate-friendly neighborhoods; with a focus on safe and healthy journeys for children and youth; a vision of a world designed to ensure that no one gets hurt walking to school or hanging out with friends. We are seeing on a daily basis how Covid-19 is transforming the world. One of the things happening in many places around the world is that cycling is gaining popularity and together with walking it is encouraged even from the political levels. In the Child Health Initiative, they are adding that amidst the suffering because of the pandemic, we have a chance to build back better. They say we should start with the streets. In the SABRINA project team, we could not agree more in believing that road and street infrastructure plays a big role in the safety of all road users, and especially the vulnerable ones. Therefore, we are working hard to make sure cycling infrastructure safety will be improved and bicycle routes safer.