Annals of Burns and Fire Disasters - vol. XVII - n. 2 - June 2004 BOOK REVIEW
World Report on Road Traffic Injury Prevention Every day thousands of people are killed and injured on our roads. Men, women or children walking, biking or riding to school or work, playing in the streets or setting out on long trips, will never return home, leaving behind shattered families and communities. Million of people each year will spend long weeks in hospital after severe crashes and many will never be able to live, work or play as they used to do. Current efforts to address road safety are minimal in comparison to this growing human suffering. The World Health Organization and the World Bank have jointly produced this World report on road traffic injury prevention. Its purpose is to present a comprehensive overview of what is known about the magnitude, risk factors and impact of road traffic injuries, and about ways to prevent and lessen the impact of road crashes. The document is the outcome of a collaborative effort by institutions and individuals. Over 100 experts, from all continents and different sectors - including transport, engineering, health, police, education and civil society - have worked to produce the report. Roads cause 1.2 millions deaths each year. Indeed traffic injuries are a growing public health issue, disproportionately affecting vulnerable groups of road users, including the poor. But road traffic crashes and injuries are preventable. Road traffic injury prevention must be incorporated into a broad range of activities, such as the development and management of road of road infrastructure, mobility planning, the provision of health and hospital services, child welfare services, and urban and environmental planning. The health sector is an important partner in this process. Its roles are to strengthen the evidence base, provide appropriate pre-hospital care and rehabilitation, conduct advocacy, and contribute to the implementation and evaluation of interventions. The time to act is now. Road safety is no accident. It requires strong political will and concerted, sustained efforts across a range of sectors. Acting now will save lives. As driver, pedestrian or potential victim, the individual can do a lot to improve the situation. UN FOCUSES ON ROAD SAFETY FOR THE FIRST TIME TO REDUCE 1.2 MILLION DEATH TOLL This year, for the first time, the United Nations General Assembly gathered for a plenary session devoted to road safety. The session came just one week after World Health Day, when the World Bank and the World Health Organization (WHO) launched the World report on road traffic injury prevention. During the General Assembly session, governments and UN agencies discussed how to implement the report’s recommendations, aimed at stemming the growing toll of injury and death on the world’s roads. Road traffic injuries kill 1.2 million people every year and injure or disable as many as 50 million more. Road crashes are the second leading cause of death globally among young people aged five to 29 and the third leading cause of death among people aged 30 to 44 years. They cost low and middle income coutries more than the total development aid they receive. Such deaths and injuries can be prevented. “The key to successful prevention lies in the commitment of all relevant sectors, public and private - health, transport, education, finance, police, legislators, manufacturers, foundations and the media - to make road safety happen,” said Kofi Anna, United Nations Secretary-General. On World Health Day, 7 April, tens of thousands of people participated in hundreds of events around the world. “This meeting of the General Assembly today strongly builds on the global momentum triggered by World Health Day, when the call for action on road safety was loud and clear. We must now use every day to act on road safety, and implement effective sustainable action to prevent injury and death on the world’s roads,” said Dr Lee Jong-wook, Director-General of WHO. This historic plenary session follows last year’s two UN resolutions on road safety, and the UN Secretary General’s report on the global road safety crisis that calls for an urgent international response to address this major public health issue. Other key stakeholders in road safety met in New York to determine how best to harness the political will generated through World Health Day activities and the UN General Assembly meeting to improve road safety. Among the participant were representatives from civil societies, government agencies, and international organizations, including WHO, the World Bank, United Nations Department for Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Celebrations on 7 April included a wide range of events-from the global celebration in Paris attended by several ministers and other road safety experts to music, drama and poetry contests, on the theme of “Safe roads, safe lives” in Uganda; “Anywhere, anytime” speed enforcement campaigns in New Zealand; the “Safe Kids” programme that awards those who have made special efforts to promote road safety in the United Arab Emirates; and the launch of a new seat-belt initiative in China. See also the Book Review on the WHO World Report on Traffic Injury Prevention elsewhere in this issue. Press WHO/26/2004
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