The Partnership for Active Travel and Health (PATH), supported by FIA Foundation, launched a Safer Active Travel policy paper ahead of the 4th Global Ministerial Conference on Road Safety.

According to iRAP’s Insights Explorer, approximately 22 million pedestrians and cyclists are killed or injured annually, including 41,000 cyclist fatalities or 3% of global road deaths. Road assessments across six regions show most lack footpaths, crossings, and safe speeds, with less than 1% having cycle lanes and only 20% meeting basic pedestrian safety standards. Despite this, only 15% of countries worldwide prioritize the safety of vulnerable road users in their national policies.

The Safer Active Travel: Addressing a Global Blind Spot Report looks to combat and shed light on the road safety ‘blind spot’ in policy.

It calls for urgent policy actions to address safety issues faced by vulnerable road users through effective public policies. It presents these six key measures to eliminated the ‘blind spot’ and transform the safety of people when they walk and cycle;

1. Enable reporting walking and cycling safety issues to influence policies and investments
2. Implement and enforce 30 km/h zones around schools, workplaces and public spaces
3. Connect active travel road safety policies with climate, equity, and health goals
4. Set clear targets, indicators, and a common data collection standard on safe walking and cycling
5. Train relevant stakeholders on delivering effective active travel actions
6. Commit to action and investment as part of the UN Decade of Action Sustainable Transport (2026-2035)

PATH directs governments and other stakeholders to use tools that may aid in following the measures presented like the RAP Infrastructure Safety Management Tools which can be used at all stages of a road’s lifecycle and can support in creating policies to improve road safety through infrastructure development.

Download the report here: pathforwalkingcycling.com/report