Together for Safer Roads: Private-Sector Global Coalition Focused on Reducing Road Traffic Collisions Launched
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Anheuser-Busch InBev, AIG, AT&T, Chevron, Ericsson, Facebook, IBM, iHeartMedia, PepsiCo, Walmart Found Cross-Sector Initiative
Global coalition launched at United Nations aims to combat the 8th leading cause of death worldwide
Supports goals of the United Nations Decade of Action for Road Safety
NEW YORK -- November 14, 2014; Ten leading, global companies have come together to create Together for Safer Roads – an innovative cross-sector coalition focused on improving road safety and reducing deaths and injuries by road traffic collisions. The founding members are: Anheuser-Busch InBev, AIG, AT&T, Chevron, Ericsson, Facebook, IBM, iHeartMedia, PepsiCo and Walmart.“By combining our expertise, data-driven insights, technology and networks, we see great potential in our coalition to scale industry best practices and raise awareness of this major global health issue.”
Road traffic crashes are the 8th leading cause of death worldwide and the #1 cause of death among 15 – 29 year olds. The World Health Organization of the United Nations estimates that, absent intervention, this will become the 5th leading cause of death by 2030, surpassing diseases such as HIV/AIDS and diabetes.1 The tremendous human loss – approximately 3,000 people are killed each day – leads to major economic loss. It is estimated that road traffic collisions cost more than 500 billion USD per year or 1-3% of the GDP of the world’s countries.2
“Together for Safer Roads brings together global industry leaders, including Anheuser-Busch InBev, who believe business can drive change that will help reduce the number of deaths and injuries due to road traffic accidents,” said Carlos Brito, CEO of Anheuser-Busch InBev and Chairman of Together for Safer Roads. “These deaths are the 8th leading cause of death in the world and largely preventable. We need to act with greater urgency to make roads safer for all.”
A primary goal of the coalition is to foster cross-sector collaboration that helps identify and scale best practices on road safety. Members will work with a variety of stakeholders - employees, business, government and community partners - to implement activities that have a proven impact on improving road safety. Together, coalition members employ over 3 million people and operate in 200 countries. Member companies’ fleets of cars, trucks, motorcycles and other vehicles drive at least 3 billion miles (4.8 billion kilometers) each year.
"Road safety is a growing challenge globally – and an even more pressing issue for developing markets like China, where AIG research shows that 40% of drivers have been driving for less than 3 years," said Steve Miller, the Non-Executive Chairman of AIG and Vice-Chairman of Together for Safer Roads. "By combining our expertise, data-driven insights, technology and networks, we see great potential in our coalition to scale industry best practices and raise awareness of this major global health issue."
Amina Mohammed, Secretary-General’s Special Advisor on Post-2015 Development Planning, commenting on the formation of Together for Safer Roads, said, “Road safety has no demographic or geographic boundaries and impacts countries of all economic levels, from low- and middle-income to high-income countries. Half-way through the United Nations’ Decade of Action for Road Safety, there remains work to do to achieve our goals. Now is the time for the private sector to join forces and help realize our vision of a world where roads are safe for all people.”
Together for Safer Roads coalition members will be working in three core areas: 1) safer roads, vehicles and systems; 2) safer road users; and 3) advocacy and thought leadership. Future coalition efforts will include: benchmarking best practices that advance traffic safety culture among companies and partners; convening stakeholders in key cities to focus on strategies for reducing fatalities; identifying ways technology and data can support road safety; advocating for more funding and support for country road safety initiatives; and raising overall awareness about this important issue. The coalition will be advised by an Expert Panel of eminent leaders in road safety who will draw together insight and knowledge from the global community. The Panel’s white paper, to be published in 2015, will help guide the activities of Together for Safer Roads.
The Expert Panel is chaired by Kenneth P. Moritsugu, M.D., M.P.H., FACPM; Rear Admiral, US Public Health Service (Ret.); former Acting Surgeon General of the United States. "The Expert Panel will provide Together for Safer Roads with independent, scientific, evidence-based information, advice and perspectives on road safety, bring a synthesis of the best research to bear and advise on the most critical areas for action to drive results," said Dr. Moritsugu. "We are pleased to see the energy and willingness of the private sector to address important gaps in global road safety."
The coalition invites participation by private-sector peers and will collaborate closely with governments, academic and civil society organizations.