The WHO says all cities should follow the example of Paris and limit all urban vehicle speeds to 30kph in an effort to reduce road accidents. Photo: dpa
Governments around the world need to do more to prevent road accidents, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said last month, calling on cities to introduce blanket 30 km/h speed limits to save lives.
Spain has increased road safety by introducing a speed limit of 30km/h per hour in cities, the WHO reported, while Paris, too, has introduced a 30km/h speed limit on most roads.
According to the WHO, of the 12,000 people worldwide who die every day as a result of accidents and violence (a total of about 4.4 million per year), one in three pass away in road traffic.
Much more remains to be done in the area of road safety, the WHO analysts write, citing regulations such as alcohol limits, helmets and seat belts in cars, and safety standards for vehicles.
The experts attribute the number of deaths, among other causes, to “weak laws and inadequate law enforcement on key risks such as speeding, driving while intoxicated, failing to use motorcycle helmets, seat belts and child restraints, and distracted driving”.
Not only do laws need to be tightened, but regulations must also be well monitored and violations should be punished. An important contribution to more road safety would also be an affordable public transport network. – dpa
