Day one of the 4th Global Ministerial Conference on Road Safety concluded on a powerful note with nations across the world declaring their commitments to road safety going forward.
As part of a new component of the conference programme which Zag attends in Marrakesh, each government head of delegation had 90 seconds to stand on stage and formally share their pledge to accelerate progress towards achieving the Decade of Action for Road Safety 2021 to 2030.
With the conference marking its midpoint, the Decade of Action for Road Safety 2021 to 2030 is a UN initiative which aims for a 50% reduction in traffic deaths and injuries by 2030.
“We now begin with the pledges,” announced moderator and South African TV personality and media entrepreneur Tumelo Mothotoane.
Countries were given the opportunity to submit their commitment ahead of the conference session and were encouraged to consider the ‘SMART’ framework – specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound – when drafting their pledges.
India, home to 1.4 billion people and the world’s second largest road network, was called on first. The nation’s Minister of State for Road Transport and Highways Ajay Tamta declared:
“Road safety is not just a policy goal. This is a human imperative. “Today, India reforms its commitment to the Stockholm Declaration to reduce road crash fatalities and injuries. How will we achieve this?” Mr Tamta asked before listing a series of measures to prioritise road safety.
These measures include embedding road safety into India’s road infrastructure planning and vehicle design, placing greater reliance on AI-driven traffic management systems, and enhancing emergency care response.
“India is not just making a commitment today. We are building a future where road safety is non-negotiable. We urge global partners, governments, and industry leaders to collaborate, innovate and act now because every life saved is a victory for us all.”
Minister of Transport of the Czech Republic Martin Kupka next took to the stage: “We are focusing on young drivers because globally road accidents are the leading cause of death for children and young adults aged 15 to 29.”
Last year, the Czech Republic introduced its L17 driving license which allows 17 year-olds who pass their test to drive but only in the presence of a mentor until the age of 18.
“The statistics are clear. While 18-year-old drivers caused more than 1,100 crashes resulting in six deaths and dozens of serious injuries, L17 drivers caused only six crashes with no deaths or serious injuries. After the first year of operation, the L17 programme has made a positive contribution.”
Mr Kupka told the audience that the country pledges to continue targeting young drivers with other road safety measures, such as probationary driving licenses in the first two years of driving and introducing hazard perception simulations into driving tests.
When the stage was Uganda’s, the nation’s representative said: “Uganda, on committing to life, are making the following commitments. One – we are going to strengthen the laws and regulations regarding control and management of vehicles and standards. We will improve data collection and management not just to keep figures but to use the data to plan better for better life on the roads. We will enforce mandatory inspection of vehicles, and will also improve vehicle data.
“We are going to strengthen our coordination which we already have with all the other stakeholders, especially the civil society organisations and we are going to encourage corporate social responsibility from other members of the public. The government will increase the funding for road safety as a way of improving performance. Thank you very much.”
During Slovenia’s pledge, Director General of Roads and Road Transport Andreja Knez declared: “I am coming from Slovenia. This is a beautiful country in the heart of Europe with two million citizens. We have achieved a significant reduction of road crash fatalities from 506 in 1994 to 70 road deaths last year. For a country with two million citizens, even 70 remains a substantial number. Yet this is the smallest number of road fatalities in Slovenian history.
“It seems we are on track to meet the 2030 target of halving fatalities. However, our work is far from being done. I firmly believe that the key to Slovenian success lies in a personal approach, commitment, and passion. We are and will remain personally engaged as ambassadors of road safety even when difficult and unpopular decisions must be made. Even when it requires immense political will.
“We are also eager to share our best practices with others as we believe that road safety is the shared responsibility that transcends borders. I believe working in the field of road safety is not a job, it’s a mission. I do not say so because it is expected. I believe in it with all my heart. And because Slovenia, as you know, is the only country in the world with the word ‘love’ in its name, we take our commitments to heart.
“And with my heart we Commit To Life.”
