Organization of American States (OAS) Press Release: June 13 2024

The General Secretariat of the Organization of American States (OAS) is joining the international call to mobilize resources to build safer roads and improve existing roads to ensure the safety of the people of the Americas.

Specifically, the OAS is encouraging ambitious and action-focused commitments that can be shared by Transport and Health Ministers at the upcoming 4th Global Ministerial Conference on Road Safety to be hosted by WHO and the Moroccan Government in February 2025, to meet Sustainable Development Goal 3.6: “By 2030, halve the number of global deaths and injuries from road traffic accidents.”

Road trauma is the biggest killer of young people aged 5-24 years of age. An estimated 143,000 people are killed and more than 9,000,000 suffer life-changing injuries in road crashes in the Americas every year, with an estimated annual cost to the region’s economy of US $1.4 trillion or 4.7% of annual GDP.

Recognizing the urgency in meeting the target for 3-star or better global standard for all road users by 2030 yielding an estimated return of investment of $8 for every $1 invested in road infrastructure, the OAS General Secretariat encourages the mobilization of appropriate domestic, international, development bank and private-sector results-based financing. 3-star roads include sidewalks, a good road surface, street lighting, and a wide centerline separating oncoming vehicles, among other elements.

Additionally, the OAS is urging targeted road safety investment that supports safety for these most vulnerable and valuable citizens to ensure children can travel to and from school safely every day, and that active mobility supports the transition to safe and sustainable 3-star or better mobility for all.

To attain these goals, the OAS supports partnerships with development agencies, donors and civil society actors including the Global Alliance of NGOs for Road Safety, FIA Foundation, iRAP, Aleatica Foundation for Road Safety, LatinNCAP, Global Road Safety Partnership, UNICEF and related entities that can help mobilize action in all safe system priority areas of investment that will save lives.

Reference: E-037/24