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April 30, 2009
Global Road Safety Week-United Nations
We all clearly remember and miss our precious friend and leader of Africa, Mr. Justino João Januário, a former participant of Leaders' Course 2004, who passed away becasue of the road accident on the highway in the Matola city on 30th December 2006. And many of you know that one of the biggest reasons for having disabilities is a car accident. We found the following information in the mailing list of "Disability and Development."
A United Nations General Assembly resolution in 2005, called for the observance of a Global Road Safety Week which is celebrated on April 23-29 each year. The event reflects the growing concern over the problem of road traffic injuries and serves as an opportunity for initiating road safety measures in the years ahead.
According to the World Health Organization’s Global Burden of Disease and Injury Report, road trauma is among the world’s largest public health problems. It ranks with malaria, tuberculosis, and HIV/AIDS as a leading global cause of death and disability.
Every year, more than a million people around the world are killed, and 34 times that number are injured in traffic accidents. It is predicted that by the year, 2020, 17 million more could perish and over 200 million more could be injured and permanently disabled on the world’s roads. Road traffic accidents are responsible for 25 percent of all deaths due to injury worldwide. Among those between the ages of 15 and 45 years, they are the leading cause of death. Clearly this is unacceptable because road accidents are predictable and can be prevented.
Road traffic deaths and injuries place an enormous strain on a country’s health system and the national economy. On the average, road traffic injuries cost low and middle-income countries one percent of Gross National Product (GNP) and for this reason, road traffic injuries are an obstacle to development.
There is a growing recognition that road traffic injuries can be prevented and a number of countries have shown that by taking action on speeding, drunk driving, the use of helmets and seatbelts, and increasing the visibility of pedestrians, cysclists, and motorcyclists, a significant number of lives can be saved and resources spared.
Prevention measures require political will. Decisions to improve road safety need to be made at the highest levels of government. Many other sectors play a major role—parents, educators, community, media, business leaders, automobile associations, vehicle manufacturers, insurers, and survivors of road traffic accidents and their families, and all road users. They should continue to work for safer roads and lead by example to travel safely and with caution.
http://www.tempo.com.ph/news.php?aid=47106
Posted by jicafriends at April 30, 2009 01:12 PM