Key Highlights
- UN Global Road Safety Week 2025, themed #MakeWalkingSafe and #MakeCyclingSafe, runs May 12‑18 to push safer streets for pedestrians and cyclists.
- The campaign highlights that over a quarter of global road fatalities affect non‑motorized users.
- WHO‑led initiative urges policymakers to adopt evidence‑based road design, such as dedicated lanes and speed limits below 30 km/h.
Detailed Insights
Background: The UN Global Road Safety Week, organized biennially by WHO and its partners, serves as a platform to spotlight the high mortality rate among road users aged 5‑29.
Aims & Objectives: It promotes safe infrastructure and transport policies for walking and cycling, raises global awareness of road‑traffic dangers to non‑motorized commuters, and encourages policy reforms and law enforcement to reduce injuries and deaths.
Key Facts: Pedestrians and cyclists account for over 25% of global road‑traffic deaths; infrastructure enhancements such as dedicated lanes, 30 km/h urban speed limits, and improved street lighting are critical in mitigating risk.
- #MakeWalkingSafe and #MakeCyclingSafe drive public engagement through hashtags, storytelling, event hosting, and mobility snapshots.
- Social media campaigns feature challenges like the Instagram Story Chain to spread awareness.
- The campaign aligns with the Global Plan for the Decade of Action for Road Safety 2021‑2030, which targets a 50% reduction in road‑traffic deaths by 2030.
Significance: By encouraging governments to invest in safer road designs and promoting a multimodal transport system, the week supports the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly in building equitable societies and safeguarding the most vulnerable road users.