UNITAR Summons Companies Worldwide to Tackle Road Safety Crisis

NEW YORK, May 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- In honor of the United Nations Road Safety Week, and in a joint effort to curb road traffic fatalities through the Partnership for Action for Road Safety, the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) in collaboration with Anheuser-Busch InBev (AB InBev) are calling for companies and public entities worldwide to download and implement the "Management Practices for Safer Roads Toolkit," designed to provide government officials, road engineers and urban planners with a proven methodology and evidence-based solutions to address road safety issues in their communities. The Toolkit can be accessed via desktop on UNITAR's website or, alternatively, as a Learning App available in the Play Store and App Store for Android and iOS devices. Dedicated training workshops are also provided to assist governments to utilize the Toolkit and design their own action plans in support of road safety.

The Toolkit and its app were designed to provide practical solutions to improve existing road infrastructure for the benefit of all road users. Among its features, the app provides a checklist to support users in monitoring their Road Safety management progress throughout the different stages of the "Plan-Do-Check-Act'' Toolkit's methodology. This week, the partnership hosted a virtual workshop with public officials in South Africa to exhibit how to best apply the toolkit to existing faults in the country's roads.

"It is our hope that this Toolkit and Learning App serve as a substantive contribution to advance our shared goal of making cities safe, resilient and sustainable," says Dr. Deisi Kuztra, member of the Board of Trustees for UNITAR. "The Agenda 2030 reminds us of the urgency to provide access to safe, affordable, accessible and sustainable transport systems for all, improving road safety, with special attention to the needs of those in vulnerable situations, including women, children, persons with disabilities and older persons (SDG 11.2)," she emphasized. 

For Road Safety Week 2021, recently celebrated on May 17-23, the United Nations called on policymakers globally to take action in favor of low-speed streets worldwide, limiting speeds to 30 km/h (20mph) in residential areas. The knowledge and materials available in the Toolkit, provide governments with a clear framework for effective speed limitations and black spot management, among others.

"As part of our tremendous efforts to expand accessibility of this Toolkit, we have now made it available in 6 languages, including English, Spanish, French, Hindi, Portuguese and most recently in Italian. We hope it will greatly benefit the organizations and governments working to make a positive impact toward improving road safety," said Catalina Garcia, Global Director of Corporate Affairs at AB InBev. "The app's methodology has been continuously tested and improved upon through several local projects in countries like Brazil, China, Dominican Republic, India, Mexico and South Africa. We are certain that its adoption will continue to lead positive results and save more lives, and especially now that it's readily available on any mobile device." 

Road traffic–related deaths and injuries have unparalleled health and socioeconomic implications for society, particularly in areas with high rates of death and injury. According to the latest report by the World Health Organization (WHO), it is estimated that 1.35 million people die on the world's roads every year, and up to 50 million more are left injured or disabled, a majority of whom are young  breadwinners between the ages of 15 and 29. Because of this, the United Nations has set the ambitious goal of reducing road traffic deaths and injuries by 50 percent by the year 2030 as part of its 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

UNITAR and AB InBev's new app draws from AB InBev's methodology, which collects data on the number and location of deaths by road user type, and relies on management routines, identifying hazardous and critical road locations where excessive numbers or severity of crashes occur, outlining corrective measures, and implementing and monitoring the appropriate interventions.

The "Management Practices for Safer Roads" mobile app can be downloaded for free from the App Store for iOS users, and the Play Store for all Android devices, and is available in English.

UNITAR – AB InBev Partnership

The alliance between UNITAR and AB InBev, through the Partnership for Action on Road Safety, seeks to educate and inform on the importance of road safety. It also facilitates the exchange of experiences and best practices that result in a long-term collaboration within different factors in society, to generate concrete measures that contribute to improving the mobility and road safety at a global level, and ultimately, save lives.

The partnership's key objectives are: contribute to the advancement of Global Road Safety Performance Targets, mobilize stakeholders in support of road safety initiatives, facilitate knowledge and experience sharing, conduct innovative road safety intervention in cities with high road traffic death rates, and support and advise governments and other partners with knowledge-related services, as well as practical tools and solutions.

The alliance also seeks to develop projects on road safety that incentivize taking measures that reduce the various risk factors, such as exceeding the speed limit and irresponsible driving, as well as the design of the vehicles and the road infrastructure. The initiative intends to socialize this methodology of road safety with governments around the world and support them in the design and implementation of local solutions.

About UNITAR
The United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) provides innovative learning solutions to individuals, organizations and institutions to enhance global decision-making and support country-level action for shaping a better future. UNITAR was created in 1963 to train and equip young diplomats from newly independent UN Member States with the knowledge and skills needed to navigate through the diplomatic environment. Over the years, UNITAR has acquired unique expertise and experience in designing and delivering a variety of training activities. We have become a leading institute in the provision of customized and creative learning solutions to institutions and individuals from both public and private sectors. With a strategy fully focused on achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), UNITAR supports Governments to implement the 2030 Agenda.

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SOURCE United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR)