Decade of road safety launched

The Decade of Action for Road Safety has been launched in the UK and more than a hundred countries around the globe.

Governments, civil organisations and private companies will all take part in the initiative, which has the aim of preventing five million road-related fatalities over its 10-year tenure.

Every year, 1.3 million people are killed on the world's roads with 26,912 killed or seriously injured in the UK alone.

The start of the 'Decade' is being highlighted by the worldwide illumination of national monuments with a yellow road safety 'tag', the programme's international symbol. In the UK, London's Trafalgar Square will act as the central point for the scheme's launch.

David Cameron joins F1 champions
Prime Minister David Cameron and Formula One champions Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton will also appear together to show solidarity with the UN's initiative.

Car makers are also signing-up to help achieve the desired cut in road deaths. Safety experts from Volvo will today meet other engineers and MPs to create a blueprint for the next decade of road safety advances.

Volvo already has in place the ambitious goal that 'by 2020, nobody shall be seriously injured or killed in a new Volvo'.

Renault has also positioned itself fully behind the decade-long safety programme, with a pledge to raise the awareness of drivers, and continuing to make the Renault range safer. It will also strengthen ties with other stakeholders in civil society, such as emergency services and research bodies.

Carlos Ghosn, chairman and ceo of Renault, said: 'We must work on all available levels to make the world's roads safer.
'This is why Renault is an active member of the Global Road Safety Partnership, an organisation to address road safety issues especially in emerging countries where around 90% of all traffic deaths and injuries currently occur.'

Find out more
You can find out more about the Decade of Action for Road Safety by visiting its website here