In contrast to high-income nations, the place highway security measures typically concentrate on automotive occupants, low- and middle-income nations should prioritize the protection of weak highway customers, akin to pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers of two- and three-wheeled automobiles, who’re disproportionately in danger. | Photograph credit score: ANI
The World Well being Group (WHO) has known as on nations within the Southeast Asian area to speed up measures to scale back highway visitors deaths, a number one reason behind loss of life amongst individuals aged 15 to 29.
“Weak highway customers, together with pedestrians, cyclists, two- and three-wheeled automobiles, account for 66% of all reported highway visitors deaths in our area,” mentioned Saima Wazed, WHO Regional Director for South-East Asia, in her handle on the fifteenth International Convention on Harm Prevention and Security Promotion (Security 2024), which started right here on Monday.
The area accounted for 330,223 of the estimated 1.19 million highway visitors deaths worldwide in 2021, representing 28% of the worldwide burden.
A press release issued by the group added that with 70% of the world’s inhabitants anticipated to dwell in city areas by 2030, demand for public transport is about to extend. It famous that the area, amid speedy urbanisation, faces shared challenges together with a excessive prevalence of two- and three-wheeled motorised automobiles, insufficient information on highway visitors accidents, poor pedestrian and biking infrastructure and restricted emergency providers.
For highway security, it has really useful a holistic and multi-sectoral strategy, which requires collaboration with native governments, city planners, visitors police and regulation enforcement companies, amongst others.
Presenting the “WHO Regional Standing Report on Highway Security in South-East Asia: In the direction of Safer and Sustainable Mobility” on the World Convention, Ms Wazed mentioned: “This report describes the patterns of highway visitors accidents in our nations and highlights greatest practices and country-specific interventions. It’s well timed and important to evaluate our present place and to information the actions wanted to realize world objectives.”
