On Wednesday, May 11, the Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011-2020 was launched around the world.  ASIRT, in collaboration with several road safety partners, organized a day of events on Capitol Hill to launch the Decade in Washington, DC.  For more information, please see the press release.

On August 26, the U.N. Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), in cooperation with the International Basketball Federation and the Turkish government, launched an information campaign on road safety in Turkey.  The campaign, titled "We play and drive by the rules," is designed to engage society, especially youth, and to encourage them to respect the rules of the road.  Learn more...

Watch Mayor Bloomberg discuss road safety at the Clinton Global Initiative: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MT43vj7cJ3Q

ASIRT mourns the death of Pius Njawe, an inspiring road safety advocate and founder of the Jane and Justice Foundation in Cameroon.  To learn more, please read the press release provided by Securoute.

ASIRT announced at its Annual Gala last week that Representative Alcee Hastings has agreed to become the new Co-Chair of the Congressional Caucus on Global Road Safety.  Representative Hastings will be replacing Representative Robert Wexler, who resigned from Congress in January.  Read the American Chronicle article to learn more about the caucus and Representative Hastings.

On September 23, 2009, the House of Representatives unanimously passed the House Concurrent Resolution 74, which encourages the Obama Administration to take an active role in the November Ministerial Conference on Road Safety in Moscow.  The Resolution was introduced by Congressman Robert Wexler (D-FL).

To view the House proceedings on this resolution, click here.

Congressional Caucus on Global Road Safety Co-chairs, Congressmen Wexler, Van Hollen and Burton introduced House Concurrent Resolution 74, which supports goals and ideals of a decade of action for road safety with a global target to reduce by 50% the predicted increase in global road deaths between 2010 and 2020.  The resolution urges the Obama Administration and State Department to take a leadership role at the first ministerial conference in Moscow in November 2009.

The S554 Bill, the Motorcoach Enhanced Safety Act of 2009, recently introduced in Congress, will require improved safety standards for motorcoach vehicles, including the requirement of seat belts.  ASIRT encourages all of its supporters to endorse this road safety bill.  Take action now and write your congressman, advocating that he/she endorse the S554 Bill.

Rochelle Sobel, ASIRT Founder and President, and Cathy Silberman, ASIRT Executive Director, were among the guests invited to the release of the World Health Organization's (WHO) Global Status Report on Road Safety.  The press conference began with a screening of a video that highlights remarks by Rochelle, as well as Casey Marenge and Dr. Adnan Hyder (JHSPH), who have both participated in global road safety caucus-sponsored briefings on the Hill. They each shared their experiences and knowledge about the issue in very compelling and articulate ways.  Mayor Bloomberg reiterated his commitment to this issue and his support of the cause will no doubt help to advance efforts over the next decade. Review the Washington Post article and coverage of the event in the New York Times.

Click here to view the powerful WHO video featuring ASIRT President Rochelle Sobel.

Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith replied to the Caucus' letter sent to him suggesting the reporting of statistics on non-international deaths of Australian citizens traveling abroad. To view his understanding of the impact this issue has on his people, please click here.

For World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims (WDR), Dr. Etienne Krug, the Director of the Department of Violence and Injury Prevention and Disability of the World Health Organization (WHO) has issued a statement.  Read it here.

Several graduates of the Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School had another Thanksgiving gridiron showdown.  The annual Paul Blank Invitational is an effort to raise funds for the Association for Safe International Road Travel.  The organization was founded by Rochelle Sobel, a JDS teacher whose son Aron Sobel was killed in a bus crash while traveling in Turkey in 1995.  Read the full article from the Montgomery County Gazette here.

The Association for Safe International Road Travel (ASIRT) commends the Congressional Caucus on Global Road Safety for launching its global effort to create an international standard by which governments monitor and address global road safety concerns.  Read the complete press release here.  Read the letters sent to officials in Canada and Australia.

On July 25, the Congressional Caucus on Global Road Safety and Congressional supporters of safe road travel worldwide sent a letter to the Bush Administration seeking to build a consensus on the need to raise awareness of the growing problem of global road crashes.  Read ASIRT's press release on the letter to Secretary Rice here.

..."A Crash Course on Study Abroad".  Read the full press release here.

Visit the State Department's new website for Study Abroad, with resources and advice for staying safe while studying abroad.

In response to a letter by Congressman Robert Wexler, Chair of the Congressional Caucus on Global Road Safety, the U.S. State Department issued a letter on April 22 in support of the U.N. Resolution calling for a Ministerial conference to be held in the Russian Federation on the topic of road safety in 2009.  A representative of the State Department spoke at the U.N. General Assembly, offering its technical assistance to developing countries seeking to enhance their ability to reduce the loss of life and casualties as a result of road crashes.  Read the text of the letter here.

...on November 18, co-sponsored by ASIRT and Montgomery County.  The event was reported on the Gazette.Net website (click here for the article).

The U.S. Senate unanimously passed Senate Concurrent Resolution 39 (S. Con. Res. 39) on October 4, supporting the goals and ideals of a world day of remembrance for road crash victims and their families.  Read the full ASIRT press release here.  Read the text of the resolution here.

On September 25, the New York Times published ASIRT's letter commending Mayor Bloomberg for contributing $9 million to the World Health Organization to help promote global road safety.  Click here to read the letter.

Following an extensive campaign by ASIRT, on July 16 the U.S. House of Representatives passed concurrent resolution H. Con. Res. 87 supporting the goals and ideals of a world day of remembrance for road crash victims.  Read the full ASIRT Press Release here.