As the 8th UN Global Road Safety Week kicks off around the world under the theme "Make walking and cycling safe," the World Health Organization (WHO) has launched a new toolkit to help governments promote active mobility – by making it safer.
Each year, nearly 1.2 million people lose their lives on the roads, more than a quarter of them while walking or cycling. Yet, only 0.2% of the roads worldwide are equipped with cycle lanes, and far too many communities lack basics like sidewalks or safe pedestrian crossings.
"Walking and cycling improve health and make cities more sustainable. Every step and every ride help to cut congestion, air pollution and disease," said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. "But we must make walking and cycling safe, so more people choose these healthier, greener options."
Despite their benefits, fewer than one-third of countries have national policies to promote walking and cycling. WHO's new toolkit aims to fill that gap with practical, evidence-based guidance for policymakers, urban planners, health advocates and civil society. The toolkit calls for bold action including:
- integrating walking and cycling into transport, health, environmental and education policies;
- building safe infrastructure like sidewalks, crossings and protected cycle lanes;
- setting and enforcing safer speed limits aligned with global best practices;
- promoting safe road use through public awareness and behaviour change campaigns; and
- using financial incentives to encourage active mobility.
While global pedestrian deaths dropped slightly and cyclist deaths plateaued between 2011 and 2021, regional trends show growing danger:
- In the WHO South-East Asia Region, pedestrian deaths rose by 42%.
- In the European Region, cyclist deaths surged by 50%.
- In the Western Pacific Region, cyclist deaths soared by 88%.
This week, WHO joins hundreds of organizations and governments worldwide to demand urgent action on road safety. The Global Alliance of NGOs for Road Safety is mobilizing over 400 member organizations in 100 countries to support the campaign.
"It is urgent to make, what should be our most natural means of transport, safer. This is paramount for road safety, but also health, equity and climate," said Etienne Krug, Director of the WHO Department for the Social Determinants of Health. "We're calling on all sectors – transport, health, education and beyond – to make walking and cycling safe and accessible for everyone."
