UN Urges Urgent Global Action as Road Crashes Continue Killing 1.2 Million People Every Year

The warning came during a high-level preparatory hearing at the United Nations headquarters in New York ahead of the upcoming UN High-Level Meeting on Improving Global Road Safety, scheduled for July.

Global leaders, road safety advocates, and United Nations officials are calling for urgent and coordinated action to tackle what experts describe as a "silent pandemic" of road traffic deaths and injuries that continues to claim millions of lives worldwide.

The warning came during a high-level preparatory hearing at the United Nations headquarters in New York ahead of the upcoming UN High-Level Meeting on Improving Global Road Safety, scheduled for July.

The hearing brought together Member States, UN agencies, civil society organizations, academics, youth representatives, philanthropic groups, and private sector stakeholders to discuss how the world can accelerate progress toward the global goal of halving road traffic deaths and injuries by 2030.

The emotional human impact of the crisis was highlighted by Viviam Perrone, Co-Chair of the International Road Victims Partnership, who shared the devastating story of losing her son Kevin in a road crash 24 years ago.

"24 years ago, I received the call that no parent ever wants," Perrone said.

Her son, Kevin, was struck and killed in Buenos Aires by a speeding driver who ran a red light before fleeing the scene.

"He was one of 3,700 people who died that day in road crashes — but he was my son," she said.

Perrone called on governments and communities worldwide to work together to prevent future tragedies.

"No more Kevins. We must act together to end this," she urged.

According to global estimates discussed during the hearing, nearly 1.2 million people die in road crashes every year, making road traffic injuries one of the leading causes of death worldwide, particularly among young people.

UN General Assembly President Annalena Baerbock described road safety as a major global challenge affecting public health, economic development, sustainability, and social well-being.

"This silent pandemic is happening right in front of us," Baerbock said in her opening remarks.

She stressed that road safety cuts across all three pillars of the United Nations' work — peace and security, development, and human rights.

"It is a public health issue, an economic issue, and a sustainability issue," she said.

Baerbock noted that safer roads and transport systems are closely linked to broader goals such as cleaner cities, accessible mobility, climate resilience, and social inclusion.

World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus also addressed the hearing through a video message, calling for a stronger focus on implementing proven road safety solutions.

"We do not need more promises — we need delivery," Tedros said.

He emphasized the importance of creating safe road systems designed to protect people even when human errors occur.

This includes safer road infrastructure, stronger enforcement of traffic laws, improved data systems, better financing, and institutional coordination focused on prioritising human safety rather than vehicle speed and convenience.

Civil society organisations and road safety campaigners argued that many governments already understand what needs to be done, but implementation remains insufficient.

"We do not have a knowledge gap — we have an implementation gap," said Lotte Brondum, Executive Director of the Global Alliance of NGOs for Road Safety.

Experts called for stronger accountability mechanisms, including:

• Public and time-bound road safety reduction targets

• Regular performance reviews based on real-world crash data

• Designation of specific officials responsible for outcomes

Piyush Tewari of the SaveLIFE Foundation said countries that have adopted clear accountability systems have already seen measurable improvements in road safety outcomes.

Participants also stressed the importance of integrating road safety into wider public investment decisions rather than treating it as a secondary concern.

Experts highlighted the role of urban planners, transport authorities, health ministries, climate policymakers, and finance ministries in shaping safer mobility systems.

Abdulgafoor Bachani, Associate Professor of Public Health at Johns Hopkins University, noted that decisions about urban design, transport infrastructure, and public funding directly influence whether roads become safer and more accessible.

He explained that walkable cities, safe public transportation, better infrastructure for cyclists and pedestrians, and strong health surveillance systems all play critical roles in reducing injuries and fatalities.

The hearing identified several priority areas for global action ahead of the July UN meeting, including:

• Stronger governance and coordination

• Better financing for road safety programmes

• Improved crash data systems

• Safer road infrastructure and speed management

• Vehicle and motorcycle safety standards

• Enhanced post-crash emergency response systems

• Protection of victims' rights

Road safety advocates also highlighted the need for greater focus on vulnerable road users such as children, pedestrians, cyclists, and motorcyclists, particularly in low- and middle-income countries where traffic fatalities remain disproportionately high.

UN Secretary-General's Special Envoy for Road Safety Jean Todt said the world must urgently close the gap between political commitments and real-world progress.

"Progress requires systems that protect people even when mistakes happen," Todt said.

"The scale of our response must match the scale of this global crisis."

Experts warn that without accelerated action, millions more lives could be lost over the coming decade despite existing international commitments to improve road safety.

The upcoming UN High-Level Meeting in July is expected to focus on turning global road safety targets into concrete national action plans capable of saving lives, reducing injuries, and creating safer transport systems worldwide.