The International Road Assessment Programme (iRAP), the International Road Federation (IRF) and the FIA Foundation have launched a #SaferRoadsPledge campaign calling on organisations involved in designing and financing roads to pledge their commitment to safer roads ahead of the 4th Global Ministerial Conference on Road Safety.

From 17-20 February 2025, leaders from across the world will gather at the Ministerial Conference in Morocco. They will assess progress made in implementing the Global Plan for the Decade of Action for Road Safety 2021-2030 during its initial five-year period, and generate support for the new vision of safe and sustainable mobility.

iRAP CEO Rob McInerney said, “Tragically, more than 3,200 people lose their lives on our roads every day. Road crashes are the leading cause of death for young people.

“We know road infrastructure rated 3-star or better for safety saves lives and prevents injuries, yet sadly less than half of roads assessed globally meet this standard. We have just five years to reach the UN global target of halving road deaths and injuries by 2030 and accelerated action on safer roads will be crucial.” he said.

The Global Plan for the Decade of Action for Road Safety recommends using Road Safety Audits and Star Ratings to lift the safety of roads and designs. UN Targets 3 and 4 include ensuring all new roads are built to a 3-star or better standard for all road users, and more than 75% of travel is on the equivalent of 3-star or better roads for all road users by 2030.

Road designers and financing institutions from the government and private sector are called on to commit their support for safer roads that enable more sustainable mobility. In support of the UN Road Safety Performance Targets 3 and 4, they are called on to commit to including Road Safety Audits, Inspections and Star Rating Assessments for new and improved road designs, and/or to undertaking crash-risk mapping and proactive safety assessments and inspections that target investment in safer infrastructure and safer speeds to meet at least a standard of 3-stars or better for all road users by 2030.

Evidence shows that lifting the Star Rating of a road by a single star can halve crash costs, and that safer 3-star or better roads for all will save lives and are cost effective. The independent study by Johns Hopkins University has found that iRAP partners worldwide have saved an estimated 700,000 fatalities and serious injuries through investment in safer road projects from 2016 to the end of 2024 using the iRAP tools.

Pledges made during the campaign will be presented to global leaders during the Ministerial Conference to support advocacy for, and investment in safer roads at the highest level.

They will also be presented at the IRF World Congress 2024 in Istanbul from 14-18 October, where safe roads and designs will be an important focus.

During the congress, a High-level Roundtable: Shaping the Future of Road Designs for Safe and Sustainable Mobility will convene leaders in road infrastructure development to tackle the challenge of closing the road safety gap by 2030. Participants will share best practices, along with roadblocks and opportunities to elevate safety in road design globally, seeking to forge consensus and accelerate progress towards the Ministerial.

A special iRAP Practical Skills training will build the capacity of road designers in Audits and use of the enhanced Star Rating for Designs web app developed with support from the World Bank Global Road Safety Facility.

IRF Director General Susanna Zammataro said, “How we design and build/upgrade infrastructure can truly make the difference and help save precious lives. Safe road design – together with policy and capacity building to support it – is crucial to achieving safe and sustainable mobility for all. IRF encourages all design and financing agencies to join and support the pledge.”

FIA Foundation Executive Director Saul Billingsley said, “Hundreds of thousands of deaths and serious injuries are being prevented through safe road design, and upgrades. Now we need to see greater and uncompromising commitment from design agencies and financing institutions to deliver safer road infrastructure that meets the targets of the Road Safety Decade and the Sustainable Development Goals.”

Organisations and individuals can pledge at irap.org/pledge.