On the eve of the 8th UN Road safety Week, the United Nations Secretary-General's Special Envoy for Road Safety, Jean Todt, with support of the Permanent Representation of Malaysia to the UN and International Organizations in Geneva, will launch the UN road safety exhibition. Taking place at the Palais des Nations, Geneva, on Friday, 9 May, the exhibition aims to raise awareness about the risk factors on the road and existing solutions that can improve road safety and save millions of lives worldwide.
In line with the main theme of the 8th UN Road Safety Week - making cycling and walking safe - the exhibition will feature the "Helmets for Hope" project, which consists of 17 helmets compliant with UN safety standards, and painted by refugees and artists from all over the world. This project is an initiative of the Secretariat of the Special Envoy, in collaboration with Artolution and with the support of Keep Fighting Foundation.
Motorcycle users are particularly vulnerable on the road. Wearing a helmet that complies with UN safety standards is a game changer. It can reduce the risk of death by over 6 times and reduce the risk of brain injury by up to 74% (WHO 2021). It is therefore urgent to promote the widespread use of UN certified helmets.
The exhibition will also feature 17 visuals of the UN-JCDecaux campaign #MakeASafety Statement, with the support of the International Olympic Committee. In addition, there will be vehicle safety demonstrations on the prevention and management of car crashes, including extinguishing battery fire, and a simulation test of driving tired and under influence.
The exhibition will be followed by a conversation on safe and sustainable mobility in the city, hosted by the Permanent Representation of Belgium to the United Nations and International Organizations in Geneva.
The silent pandemic on the road
The Special Envoy for Road Safety, Jean Todt, qualified road crashes as "The Silent Pandemic on the Road". Every year, the staggering toll of road-related fatalities globally claims the lives of 1.19 million people, leaving 50 million others with severe injuries. Furthermore, road crashes are the leading cause of death for children and young adults aged 5-29 years (WHO 2021). Two months after the Declaration of Marrakesh where Member States further engaged to accelerate the efforts to achieve the new Decade of Action for Road Safety, it is urgent to act together to achieve the goal of halving the number of the victims on the road by 2030.
"Road crashes are not a fatality. This is why this exhibition on road safety at the Palais des Nations is important for raising awareness about the risk factors on the road. It also demonstrates the importance of building a global partnership for achieving road safety SDG targets," the Special Envoy noted.
Make a Safety Statement
The UN Global Campaign for Road Safety - #MakeASafetyStatement, in partnership with JCDecaux, is part of UN efforts to raise public awareness of life-saving initiatives on the road. By the end of 2025, the campaign will appear on billboards and in public places in 80 countries, thanks to a global partnership with JCDecaux. It will be broadcast in about 1,000 towns and cities in 30 languages.
Under the slogan #MakeASafetyStatement, the campaign brings together celebrities worldwide, such as Patrick Dempsey, Michelle Yeoh, Charles Leclerc, Didier Drogba, Teddy Riner, Kylie Minogue, Mick Schumacher or Naomi Campbell, to encourage users to adopt simple but effective rules to keep their roads safe. Olympic athletes also joined the campaign, thanks to the support of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
With making walking and cycling safe in the focus of the 8th UN road safety week, the Office of the Special Envoy has strengthened its collaboration with the International Union of Cyclists (UCI), thanks to the participation of Tadej Pogačar who is one of the champions of the MakeASafetyStatement campaign.
Towards zero victims on the road in Switzerland
According to the Swiss Federal Roads Office, road crashes caused 250 deaths in Switzerland in 2024, the highest figure since 2015. There were 47 deaths among motorcyclists with an increase among young people, 25 on electric bicycles, 20 among "conventional" cyclists, and 48 among pedestrians, the majority of whom were outside of pedestrian crossings.
Of the total, alcohol was the suspected primary cause in 34 cases (+31% year-on-year), ahead of speeding, with 33 cases, and then inattention or distraction. Among deaths in passenger car accidents, the sharpest increase was observed among those aged 25 to 34 and those aged 75 and over.
However, the number of people seriously injured decreased. Switzerland is one of the countries that has invested in road safety with zero tolerance, and has achieved a road fatality rate of 2 per 100,000 inhabitants (compared to 6.5/100,000 in Europe and 19.5/100,00 in Africa (WHO 2021). The country can therefore show good practices that could be implemented in other countries.
Risk factors that are often neglected
Only 7 countries in the world have laws that comply with WHO best practices for all the risk factors (France, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Luxembourg, Portugal, Sweden) on speeding, driving under the influence or distracted driving, use of UN-standard motorbike helmets, and use of seatbelts and child restraints as regulated by UNECE.
For example, safety-belts remain the best vehicle safety device to protect passengers from being severely injured in a crash or being ejected from the vehicle. Over the past several decades regulation and consumer demand have led to increasingly safe cars in higher income countries, in turn leading to fewer road fatalities. For example, in the UNECE region, total road fatalities decreased by 25% in between 2000 and 2010, and by 15% in the period 2010-2019. In particular, this drop was more significant among car occupants (UNECE 2024).
Malaysia supports the UN Decade of Action for Road Safety
One study by the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (MIROS) revealed that many young riders in Malaysia begin as early as the age of 12, often without licenses or proper training. These insights have helped Malaysia shape more targeted interventions, because when we understand the behaviour, we are better positioned to implement solutions that are both smart and achievable.
In support of this, Malaysia continues to prioritise helmet use among young motorcyclists. In addition to education and awareness campaigns in schools and rural areas, Malaysia introduced a Helmet Exchange Programme that allows riders to swap old or non-compliant helmets for new, safety-certified ones. This effort is vital as motorcyclists account for over 60% of road traffic fatalities in Malaysia, with the highest risk group being those aged 16 to 20. By improving access, building awareness, and fostering behavioural change, we aim to instill a culture of safety from early age.
Malaysia firmly embraces the vision of the UN Decade of Action, to reduce road traffic fatalities by 50% by 2030. To this end, Malaysia continues to work closely with key road safety stakeholders, including the WHO.
Learn more about the programme of the exhibition here.
