UN Member States adopted a Political Declaration during the first ever High-Level Meeting on Improving Global Road Safety. The Declaration is a commitment by all countries to deliver on the Decade of Action on Road Safety, halving deaths and serious injuries by 2030.

Along with leading road safety organisations and consistent with the Global Alliance of NGOs for Road Safety statement, iRAP welcomes the Declaration, acknowledges the challenging circumstances under which the Declaration was negotiated, but also calls on countries to:

• Implement clear, specific evidence-based actions that are consistent with the Global Plan, starting with 30 km/h limits where people move, live, and play, and defining roles and accountabilities, utilizing existing frameworks, such as the Global Road Safety Performance Targets;
• Prioritize comprehensive government funding, incorporating coordination of bi-lateral and development funding, with annual reporting on implementation of national road safety strategies that cover all aspects of the Safe System, and ensure that the safety of all road users, especially pedestrians and cyclists, are a mandatory component of all road transport and infrastructure investments (to the technical standards set out in the Global Road Safety Performance Targets 3 and 4);
• Engage with stakeholders and involve communities, represented by NGOs, youth, overlooked groups, including women and people with disabilities, and other community partners, in road safety, transport, and infrastructure planning, decision-making, and implementation;
• Demonstrate accountability at regional, national, and global levels. We are encouraged that the Declaration outlines progress reporting (at the 78th and 80th UN General Assemblies and a second High-level Meeting to be held in 2026) to maintain momentum and accountability toward the 2030 target. We encourage the UN General Assembly to include progress reporting on funding commitments and investment in road safety as a key element at these sessions.

iRAP’s Global Programme Director Greg Smith said: “safe speeds and 3-star or better road infrastructure will be essential to the success of the decade of action. Road designs that recognise that mistakes and misjudgement are part of being human save lives and help communities thrive.”

“The Ten Step Plan for Safer Road Infrastructure, which was created by partners in the UN Road Safety Collaboration, provides a foundation for the creation of safe, liveable road environments. It can help guide countries in their efforts to ensure that new and upgraded roads comply with Target 3 and mobilise results-based financing to meet Target 4.”

“There is also a need for strong coordination of international organisations to support countries throughout the decade.

Building on the four points made in the Alliance statement, iRAP encourages member states to commit to:

• Implement the Ten Step Plan for Safer Road Infrastructure, which tailors action and delivery for each country, provides the foundation for safe road design that meets Target 3 for all new roads to be 3-star or better for all road users and mobilises coordinated domestic and international results-based financing to meet Target 4 for 75% of travel to be at a safe standard for all road users by 2030.
• Develop a Global Road Safety Strategic Plan that supports the delivery of the Global Plan for the Decade of Action for Road Safety and outlines the specific roles and accountabilities of the multi-national agencies including the UN, Development Banks, Aid Agencies and NGOs in a well-resourced, coordinated and harmonized manner to achieve all of the Global Road Safety Performance Targets.
• Establish multi-agency road safety investment platforms in each region that coordinate the necessary and efficient data collection, business case development, investment, capacity building and monitoring capabilities needed to support national, bi-lateral and development-focussed results-based financing in each client country that supports the achievement of all the Global Road Safety Performance Targets.

iRAP is ready to support partners and governments as they work to halve global road deaths and injuries by 2030.

The High-level Meeting is being held from 30 June to 1 July in New York and brings together the Heads of UN Members States, Ministers, UN Permanent Missions and select road safety stakeholders, including representatives of iRAP. The meeting theme is “2030 Horizon for Road Safety: Securing a Decade of Action and Delivery” and reflects the UN Sustainable Development Goal to halve road deaths and injuries by 2030.

For more information:

• Read the Declaration here
• About the UN High-level Meeting on Road Safety here
• Download the Global Plan for the Decade of Action for Road Safety here
• Read how safer roads feature in the Global Plan, here.