In its observation of Global Road Safety Week, April 23 -  April 27, the World Health Organization has two new publications.

"Faces Behind the Figures":  The World Health Organization and the Association for Safe International Road Travel have jointly developed a book entitled "Faces behind the figures: voices of road traffic crash victims and their families", to put a human face on the statistics presented in the many road safety reports published around the world.

"Youth and Road Safety":  Road traffic crashes are the leading cause of death among young people between 10 and 24 years, according to a new report published by WHO. The report, Youth and Road Safety, says that nearly 400 000 young people under the age of 25 are killed in road traffic crashes every year. Millions more are injured or disabled.

The World Helath Organizaion and ASIRT are working together to for The First United Nations Global Road Safety Week. Many events are being planned around the country and the world.  Here are some key organizations and communities.

The World Health Organization: The First U.N. Global Road Safety Week was called for in the October 2005 United Nations General Assembly resolution A/60/5 on Improving global road safety. The Week, which will focus on young road users, is an historic opportunity to raise the issue of road traffic injuries to a higher level. During the Week, it is expected that hundreds of initiatives – local, national, regional and global – will take place around the world, organized by governments, nongovernmental organizations, United Nations and other international agencies, private sector companies, foundations and others working for safer roads. The key global event will be the World Youth Assembly for Road Safety, bringing delegations of young people together from many countries to discuss and adopt a youth declaration on road safety and define ways to better serve as road safety advocates in their countries. The Week will be marked in all countries and by many communities. It is hoped the events of the Week will serve as launching points for new and effective road safety initiatives in the years ahead.

The State of Georgia: The Governor's Appointee to the National Association of Women Highway Safety Leaders, Inc. (NAWHSL) is including information in all of her traffic safety presentations and speeches to businesses and civic groups,  thereby alerting them to the upcoming UN Global Road Safety Week and encouraging them to get involved.  The Georgia Federation of Women's Clubs has distributed information to all of their clubs, and flyers on the Zebra Poster Contest have been posted at local public libraries.  Georgia Operation Lifesaver, an endorser of Make Roads Safe, will participate in the Operation Lifesaver State Coordinators Summit in Rhode Island (April 22-25), and will be conducting numerous traffic roadway safety activities during "Operation Lifesaver Month in Georgia."   For more information, call 770/393-2711 or visit www.georgiaol.org.

The State of North Carolina: In support of safety at home and around the world, North Carolina Oper ation Lifesaver will be hosting Safety Day at Fort Bragg April 5 for all military families, with presentations about global road safety, bikes, crossing and railroad safety.  On April 28, there will be a community-wide event in Rocky Mount, North Carolina.  Entitled “Safety at Sunset Park,” safety information will include railroad safety, ATVs, bikes, child passenger safety, as well as information about road safety worldwide.  For more information, visit www.ncol.org

The National Organizations for Youth Safety (NOYS): The National Organization for Youth Safety (NOYS) has created an excellent toolkit for all those who wish to participate in National Youth Traffic Safety Month in May, immediately following Global Road Safety Week (April 23-29. 2007).  Check out the toolkit at www.noys.org/YouthTrafSafe/toolkit.html  or visit the NOYS main homepage at www.noys.org

PRESS RELEASE

Local Leaders Mark Global Road Safety Week and Remind Teens and Parents that “Traffic Safety is no Accident

ROCKVILLE, MARYLAND (April 27, 2007) – Road crashes are the leading cause of death worldwide for young people ages 10-24, according to the World Health Organization. Nearly 1.2 million people of all ages are killed annually as result of road crashes, averaging nearly 3,300 fatalities every day, including 120 daily deaths in the United States.

Rochelle Sobel, a Potomac mother who founded the Association for Safe International Road Travel (ASIRT) after her son Aron was killed in a bus crash in Turkey in 1995, was joined by Congressman Chris Van Hollen, Maryland Delegate Bill Bronrott, Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett, County Councilmember Valerie Ervin, County Councilmember Nancy Floreen, Rockville City Councilmember Susan Hoffmann, and Assistant Montgomery County Police Chief Drew Tracy to mark the first United Nations Global Road Safety Week (April 23-29).

The Montgomery County leaders are seeking to fight this global health pandemic on a regional basis, seeing as more than 1,600 people died in traffic crashes in Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia in 2005 alone.  An average of 31 deaths occurred each week in the region, based on U.S. Department of Transportation reports.

The group called for ongoing programs emphasizing the “Three Es” of traffic safety: education, enforcement, and engineering solutions.  They also called for greater compliance of existing safe driving laws by motorists, especially by teens during this higher risk road travel prom and graduation season.

“Together we must focus more attention and resources on combating the road safety crisis both globally and locally because far too many lives are being lost needlessly,” said Congressman Van Hollen (D-8-MD).  “Better roadways and improved pedestrian, bicycle, vehicle and rail flow are not only good for safety, they are also good for local economies.”  Congressman Van Hollen is co-chair of the Congressional Caucus on Global Road Safety and an original co-sponsor of pending legislation (H. Con. Res 87) to establish a National Day of Remembrance of Road Crash Victims on the third Sunday of each November.

State Delegate Bronrott (District 16, Bethesda) reminded teens that Maryland has enacted a zero-tolerance teen drinking and driving law and recently strengthened its Graduated Drivers Licensing laws, but he emphasized that “it’s also up to parents to lay down the law at home about safe driving to prevent tragedies from happening in the first place.”  Delegate Bronrott, who began advocating for safe highways in 1980 when he helped launch the Mothers Against Drunk Driving movement, has been a leading force in the General Assembly behind laws addressing teen driving, drunk driving, and pedestrian safety.

“This week and every week we must think globally, but act locally to curb this number one threat to lives of young people,” Delegate Bronrott said.  “These tragic crashes are not mere accidents or a matter of fate or luck – they are preventable.”

ASIRT President Sobel urged high school students to take extra precautions when taking to the roads this prom season, and to remember that the vast majority of road crashes are predictable and preventable.  “Avoid decisions that jeopardize your safety.  Obey the speed limit.  Don’t drink and drive.  And always buckle up,” Sobel said.  “A moment’s decision can result in a lifetime of consequences for you and for others.”  Sobel encouraged the entire community to increase its level of road safety awareness and activity, especially during prom season, “We are all partners in road safety – political and civic leaders, parents, police, educators, establishments that sell alcohol. It takes a community to keep our young people safe.”

Sobel praised Montgomery County initiatives to prevent traffic fatalities and injuries among teens, such as the new online SAFEnet program that provides information to teens and adults on alcohol issues. Residents can sign up for free SAFEnet email alerts and ask questions regarding underage drinking prevention at safenet@montgomerycountymd.gov.

Sobel also applauded the annual Montgomery County Project Prom/Graduation campaign that is running now into June and features high school post-prom parties that are safe, sober and fun. An estimated 11,000 teens will participate in the prom and graduation celebrations this year, according to the county’s Drawing the Line on Under 21 Alcohol Use coalition.

“One of the top priorities of my administration is to ensure the safety and security of our roadways,” said Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett. “That’s why I have recommended a boost in next year’s pedestrian safety education budget to reach out to at-risk populations.  We will continue our hard-hitting measures to reduce aggressive driving and disregard of pedestrians to prevent future traffic tragedies and to make our community safer.”

Leggett has recommended a 20 percent increase in funding for Traffic and Pedestrian Safety in his proposed FY08 budget.  He encouraged county residents to report traffic safety problems, including impediments to safe walking and bicycling, through the Montgomery County website at www.montgomerycountymd.gov.

“Each year far too many pedestrians and motorists are killed or injured in traffic crashes,” said County Councilmember Valerie Ervin, the Council’s representative on the Montgomery County Pedestrian Safety Advisory Committee and an advocate for transit-oriented, walkable communities. “We need more creative ways to educate the public about making safe driving practices part of their daily routine, and to use more innovative engineering design to make our roadways and communities as pedestrian-friendly as possible.”

Assistant Chief of Montgomery County Police Drew Tracy said that “safety is our number one priority” and that police will continue to conduct enforcement campaigns to combat impaired and aggressive driving and to encourage greater seat belt use.  “We are also proud partners with our schools to help ensure a safe and sober prom season for our most vulnerable motorists – our teens.”

Association for Safe International Road Travel website: www.asirt.org

UN Global Road Safety Week website: http://www.who.int/roadsafety/week/en/

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