The price paid for unsafe roads is high, in economic terms as well as in human suffering. This statement from the Director General of the World Health Organization (WHO), Margaret Chan, set the tone for the opening session of the 2nd Global High-Level Conference on Road Safety on Wednesday in Brasilia.
Brasilia, 18 November 2015 (PAHO/WHO) — The price paid for unsafe roads is high, in economic terms as well as in human suffering. This statement from the Director General of the World Health Organization (WHO), Margaret Chan, set the tone for the opening session of the 2nd Global High-Level Conference on Road Safety on Wednesday in Brasilia.
"Trauma care is costly. Rehabilitation is costly. We must never forget that traffic crashes are a leading cause of permanent disabilities," said Chan. Everyone must work together to create a world free of high-risk roads and ensure that the benefits of safe mobility are evenly shared. "We will save lives, save money, support development, and reduce the vast human tragedy caused by more than a million largely predictable and preventable deaths. Let's make this conference the turning point for road safety."
The opening session also included remarks from Brazil's President Dilma Rousseff, who cited several examples of successful actions carried out in Brazil, such as stricter enforcement on drinking and driving, use of seat belts and safety seats for infants and toddlers.
"In five years, I hope we can reflect on the Decade of Action [on Road Safety] in a positive light and build on the success into the next decade," said Rousseff.
The granddaughter of the former South African president Nelson Mandela, Zoleka Mandela, delivered an emotional speech in which she could not hold back tears as she reflected on the loss of her 13-year-old daughter in a car crash five years ago. Mandela said there are no excuses for failing to take measures to improve road safety and reduce injuries and deaths on the road. "Every single day, 500 children die on the roads. This means that in the last 24 hours at least 500 families have been greeted with an unimaginable loss of a loved one."
In a separate session later in the morning, Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) Director Carissa F. Etienne remarked that in spite of growing attention to road safety worldwide, there is still a lot to be done, mostly in transportation policies. "PAHO reiterates its commitment to work with all Member States of the region to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, including reduction of traffic-related deaths."
Etienne's remarks echoed Chan's earlier statement that improvement demands everyone's cooperation. "Brazil is doing a good job. Keep up the good work in Brazil," Chan said. "It's not just the government. The government can't do it all alone. People need to take responsibility and use helmets, refrain from drinking or using phones when they drive. Individual behavior has to change to support the change in laws."
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