Make Roads Safer campaign launched

A report by the Commission for Global Road Safety has called on governments to commit to a road safety 'Decade of Action', which they say could save five million lives and prevent 50 million serious injuries.

The commission say a coordinated UN action plan for road safety is urgently needed.

Without intervention, the commission says road crashes are set to become the leading cause of disability and premature death for children aged 5-14 across developing countries by 2015.

Global campaign ambassador, actress Michelle Yeoh, joined ministers from developing countries, senior UN and World Bank figures and celebrities including Felipe Massa, at the report launch in Rome today.

The report, which is endorsed by the world's leading road safety experts, urges UN governments attending the first global governmental conference on road safety in Moscow in November, to support a 'Decade of Action for Road Safety', from 2010-2020.

During the 'Decade' the commission is calling on the UN to invest $300 million to formulate an action plan to catalyse traffic injury prevention and re-focus national road safety policies and budgets.

Ms Yeoh said: "Over the past year I have travelled in many countries and seen the terrible impact that a lack of basic road safety can have on people’s lives. A child is killed or maimed on the roads every thirty seconds. These tragedies are so sad, and so unnecessary, because we have the ability to prevent this. It is time for the talking to stop. It is time for real action to make roads safe."

The commission says more people are killed in road crashes in the developing world than from malaria, at a cost of $100 billion a year. Road crashes are currently the leading cause of death for young people aged 10-24.

Ferrari F1 driver Massa said: "We must do more to tackle road traffic injuries, the biggest killer of young people around the world. By promoting seat belt and helmet use, enforcing drink driving and speeding restrictions, and improving road and vehicle design we can really make a difference. I am pleased to support the Make Roads Safe campaign and the call for a Decade of Action for road safety."