Director-General's remarks at the Launch of the United Nations Road Safety Exhibition

Launch of the United Nations Road Safety Exhibition
Friday, 9 May 2025, at 1.00 p.m.
Exhibition Gallery, Building E, Palais des Nations

Excellencies,
Ladies and gentlemen,
Dear friends,

It is a great pleasure for me to welcome you all to the Palais des Nations for the opening of this United Nations Road Safety exhibition, ahead of the eighth United Nations Road Safety Week. Thank you to the Permanent Representative of Malaysia, Her Excellency Mrs. Dato’ Nadzirah Osman, the Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Road Safety, Mr. Jean Todt, his team, and their colleagues at the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, for bringing this important exhibition to life.

Road traffic injuries remain a leading cause of death and disability worldwide. Every year, nearly 1.2 million people lose their lives on the roads, and up to 50 million more are injured. Tragically, road traffic injuries are the leading cause of death among children and young people aged 5 to 29 years. Even more alarming, over half of all road traffic fatalities involve vulnerable road users – pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists.

These figures are unacceptable. They are also entirely preventable. We must act at all levels – local, national and international – to make roads safer for everyone and make progress towards achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, especially that of halving the number of global deaths and injuries from road traffic crashes.

Achieving this requires a fundamental shift in how we design our roads and cities. We need safe, inclusive and accessible infrastructure that prioritizes public transport, cycling, and walking. These modes reduce the number of motor vehicles and, with them, the risk of crashes.

Moreover, walking, cycling, and public transport are better for our health, our budget and our planet. Today, more than 90 per cent of the energy powering our transportation still comes from fossil fuels, contributing to nearly a quarter of global energy-related greenhouse gas emissions. Without significant changes, these emissions are set to rise, deepening the climate crisis.

We also need a profound shift in our road culture, which too often normalizes road violence. That is why this exhibition, which highlights the importance of safety through strong statements by public figures and the creative work of refugee artists, is so important. It helps reframe how we think about safety and reminds us that every life lost on the road is one too many.

Ladies and gentlemen,

At the United Nations, we often speak of building a better world for future generations. We cannot do that while so many, especially young people, continue to die on our roads.

We need safer roads. But we also need safer behaviours and attitudes. This exhibition is a great reminder of how we can all take steps, every day, to reduce risks on the road and save lives. Let’s start today.

Thank you.