ADDIS ABABA, May 6 (Xinhua) -- The UN Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) on Monday urged African countries to instill strong leadership to tackle the risk of road traffic deaths across the African continent.
The ECA made the urgent call amid the ongoing United Nations Global Road Safety Week, which is commemorated worldwide from May 6 to 12.
This year's year UN Global Road Safety Week, which is being commemorated under the theme "Leadership for Road Safety," acknowledged that "stronger leadership is needed to advance road safety in countries and communities worldwide," the ECA said in a statement issued on Monday.
According to figures from the ECA, the risk of a road traffic death remains three times higher in low-income countries than in high-income countries, with rates highest in Africa at 26.6 per 100,000 people.
"These are staggering figures, and the goal of the UN Global Road Safety Week is to generate a demand from the public for stronger leadership for road safety worldwide," an ECA statement issued on Monday read.
The ECA also called for the promotion of safer infrastructure, including protected sidewalks and dedicated lanes for cyclists and motorcyclists, as well as enhanced post-crash care.
Improving vehicle standards such as those that mandate electronic stability control and advanced braking were also said to necessitate strong leadership among African countries.
The ECA also commended strong leadership that were taken around legislation on key risks such as speeding, drinking and driving, and failing to use seat-belts, motorcycle helmets and child restraints.
According to the ECA, out of the total 1.3 million road traffic fatalities that occurred every year globally, more than half are accounted in urban areas.
Quality of road infrastructure, level of law enforcement, safety of vehicles, road user behaviors and post-crash care are said to be among the issues that affect the road safety situation in Africa and beyond.
The ECA, which noted that Africa having only 2 percent of the world's registered vehicles, accounts a disproportionate 16 percent of the world's road traffic deaths.
Road traffic fatalities are estimated to be the fourth leading cause of death of persons aged 5 through 44 years globally including the African continent, according to the ECA.
Statistics from the World Health Organization (WHO) also indicated that "despite progress, road traffic deaths continue to rise, with an annual 1.35 million fatalities globally."
WHO also noted that road traffic injuries "are now the leading killer of children and young people aged 5-29 years."
Globally, of all road traffic deaths, pedestrians and cyclists account for 26 percent and motorcycle riders and passengers account for 28 percent, according to figures from the WHO.
The UN Global Road Safety Week, from May 6 to 12, mainly envisaged to provide an opportunity for civil society to generate demands for strong leadership for road safety, especially around concrete, evidence-based interventions so as to save lives, it was noted.
As an awareness creation event, the global road safety week also aspires to encourage leaders to take action by showcasing examples of strong leadership for road safety within governments, international agencies, non-governmental organizations, foundations, educational institutions, as well as the general public, according to the ECA.
