As the world marks the World Day of Remembrance for road traffic victims, they World Health Organization and the United Nations have called on countries to priortize and commit to reducing road deaths by 2030.
This was stated in different statements by the Director, Department of Health determinants, promotion and prevention, Dr Etienne Krug and the United Nations Secretary-General Special Enovy for Road Safety, Jean Todt.
According to Krug, there is need for government ri make road safety a political priority and ensure sustained funding and advance action to achieve the goal of halving road deaths by 2030.
He stated that everyone has a role to play in priortizing safety and calling for urgent action, “road safety is a crisis that have gone on for far too long and no road desth can ever be acceptable.”
The Director who applauded the advocacies by familes and survivors of road traffic crashes across the world said that this has led to changed hearts, minds and decisions declaring that victims and their loved ones deserve nothing less than the best.
“You inspire us by transforming trauma into action. Your stories bring more people to our cause, your asvocaciee changes hearts, minds and decisions, you are leaders in our world to build safe streets for people all over the world. Thank yoi for all you do to make our road safer and avoid further tragedies.”
Krug noted that the world is already at the midpoint of the decade of action for Road Safety 2021-2030 adding that if more efforts are put into policies and political will, the goal of halving road deaths by 2030 can still be achieved.
In his statement, the United Nations Secretary-General Special Enovy for Road Safety, Jean Todt said that the number of road deaths annually is equals to the population of Canada every year stressing that this cannot be accepted as the world cannot continue ro measure progress in premises where lives are being lost every hour.
“In 2025, road crashes are still the number one killer for ages 5 – 29. These are children, how can we let it happen and yet the lives lost and changed forever remain invisible. This is the cost if using the world’s road and it is unacceptable.”
Todt lamented that based in how things are going regarding road safety in countries, the goal to reducing road deaths by 50 per cent by 2030 may not be achieved asking all hands to be in deck to make the goals to be achieved.
“We must respect laws, build safe infrastructure and enforce safe road users behaviour as if the lives of our children depend on it because they do. Government must act, industries must innovate responsibly and citizens must hold them to account.
“On this World Day of Remembrance, we mourn those we have lost but mourning is not enough. The greatest tribute we can offer is to finally address this silent pandemic.”
On November 16 every year, the world comes together to remember those who lost their lives in road crashes. The global tagline for the day until 2030 is Remember, Support and Act while the 2025 theme is “Lost talents”.
For each life lost or forever changed in a road crash, it takes away dreams, creativity, and potential which are talents that the world will never see again.
The World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims is commemorated in more than 100 countries around the globe. Activitiee include candlelight vigils, art exhibitions, community walks and remembrance ceremonies.
In Nigeria, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) collaborated with Kwapda’as Road Safety Demand (KRSD) to hold a symbolic walking and jogging exercise to mark the 2025 World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims and the International Road Crash Victims African Conference.
The event brought together stakeholders, advocates, survivors, and community members in a united call for safer roads and stronger preventive measures across the nation.
The FRSC also held a solemn Juma’a prayer session at Labadidi Muslim community Juma’a mosque where rhe Corps Marshal, Shehu Mohammed represented by the Assistant Corps Marshal in charge of the Corps Transport Standardization Office, Hafiz Muhammed, reaffirmed its commitment to honouring victims, supporting survivors, and strengthening the national resolve to prevent avoidable tragedies on our roads.
