The Second Decade of Action For Road Safety

United Nation has proclaimed the period 2021–2030 as the Second Decade of Action for Road Safety, with the goal of reducing road traffic deaths and injuries by at least 50% globally.
The resolution calls upon member states to continue action on all road safety targets including SDGs (Sustainability Development Goals) target 3.6 which envisioned reduction of the global road traffic accident death by 50% in 2020.
The Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target to halve the number of global deaths and injuries from road traffic accident has become very elusive for developing countries. In Kenya the road crash death have continued to increase despite many concerted efforts to reduce the fatalities.
In Kenya, we lose over 3000 lives every year on our roads, according to NTSA report released on 11th November, 2020 from January to October of the same year, road crash deaths increased by 5.8%. In 2020 by the time of publishing this magazine, 3114 persons had died compared to 2942 in the same period last year.
During the same period, motorcycle accident fatalities increased by 48%. At the time, 884 motorcyclist died compared to 597 in the year 2019. These fatalities are attributed to drunk driving, failure to wear helmets among others.
The second decade of action therefore calls upon member’s states to take action through 40 points of action which comprehensively cover the following among others:

  • Strengthening road safety laws and law implementation;
  • Monitoring and evaluation of road safety laws and implementation;
  • Signing and implementing UN road safety policies, rules and regulations;
  • Integrating road safety in planning;
  • Conducting awareness campaigns on road safety;
  • Strengthening pre-hospital care for road traffic accidents;
  • Providing rehabilitation and care for those who suffer road traffic accidents;
  • Share best practices bilaterally, regionally and internationally;
  • Calls upon member states and all stakeholders to increase investment for road safety.

With the new resolution governments commit themselves to convene a high-level meeting of the UN General Assembly, no later than the end of 2022.

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