ZRST welcomes the WHO Global Status Report on Road Safety 2018
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(December Friday 7th, 2018, Lusaka, ZAMBIA)
– The Zambia Road Safety Trust (ZRST) today welcomed the publication of the World Health Organization’s Global Status Report on Road Safety 2018. This fourth edition of the report calls for governments to commit themselves to policy change that puts road users, especially pedestrians and cyclists, at the center; stronger enforcement of traffic laws; funding that meets the severity of the road crisis; and the involvement of NGOs and other stakeholders in collaborations that harness the unique expertise of different partners.
The report suggests that the price paid for mobility is too high, especially because proven measures exist. These include strategies to address speed and drinking and driving, among other behaviours; safer infrastructure like dedicated lanes for cyclists and motorcyclists; improved vehicle standards such as those that mandate electronic stability control; and enhanced post-crash care. Drastic action is needed to put these measures in place to meet any future global target that might be set and save lives.
It highlights that the number of annual road traffic deaths has reached 1.35 million. Road traffic injuries are now the leading killer of people aged 5-29 years. The burden is disproportionately borne by pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists, in particular those living in developing countries.
Daniel Mwamba left
Daniel Mwamba, Chairman, Zambia Road Safety Trust, said:
“Zambia’s most vulnerable road users, pedestrians and cyclists remain at dangerously high risk on our roads, accounting for over 70 percent of all road victims and paying the price for the dominance of motor car in our lives.
“If Zambia has to achieve the sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), a target of 50% reduction in road deaths and injuries, the Government must invest in active travel to give people safe and healthy ways to get around, giving priority to pedestrians and cyclist safety.
“As ZRST we are fully committed to continue supplementing government efforts through our road safety initiatives the targets the most vulnerable road users in our communities.”
About Us
The Zambia Road Safety Trust (ZRST), established in 2014, is a leading registered non-government road safety entity registration no: 101/0503/15. The Trust is a member of the Global Alliance of NGOs for road safety, seeks to create awareness on road safety issues in Zambia and contribute to reduce loss of life and injuries on Zambia’s roads. The Trust is an operational NGO, meaning we plan and carry out boots-on-the-ground projects to accomplish our objectives. This requires a great deal of careful planning, communication, and local involvement for each project.
Our goal as an organization is to accomplish the following: To priorities safety of the most vulnerable road users, to advocate changes in national law to make roads, vehicles and drivers safer, to support the 50 percent reduction in road traffic death UN decade of Action 2020 target.
