The Commission for Global Road Safety, an FIA Foundation initiative, is calling on world leaders to contribute significant development funds for road assessment programmes in developing countries.

Of 3,000 adult and 500 child deaths every day on the world’s roads, 85% are in developing countries. And the impact is particularly severe in these countries, where the loss of breadwinners in road accidents is a significant cause of poverty among lower income families.

On 8 June the Commission launched its Make Roads Safe campaign with a report that calls for urgent action to support a $300 million, 10-year action plan to improve road safety in developing countries.

EuroRAP and iRAP are supporting this political campaign and urging members to include a link on their websites to www.makeroadssafe.org, where individuals can register their support and organisations can download campaign material. Supporting this international programme will heighten public awareness of the impact of road infrastructure on safety.

In particular, Make Roads Safe is set to influence young motorists, traditionally an age group that is very difficult for motoring organisations to attract, with future campaign activities aimed specifically at the young adult population.