Johns Hopkins International Injury Research Unit Leadership Attends United Nations Road Safety Collaboration, Supports New Road Safety Resolution

On April 12-13, 2018, Johns Hopkins International Injury Research Unit (JH-IIRU) leadership, including Director Adnan A. Hyder and Deputy Director Abdul M. Bachani, attended the 25^th meeting of the United Nations Road Safety Collaboration (UNRSC) at the United Nations (UN) Headquarters in New York City, New York.

In the meeting, road safety experts discussed implementation of UN General Assembly resolution A/RES/72/271, which aims to improve global road safety through a number of measures including the implementation of vehicle safety regulations of seat belts, airbags, and active safety systems as standard equipment.

“Our team has been integral to this effort over the past few years as a World Health Organization Collaborating Center,” said Dr. Hyder, who chairs one of the working groups of the UNRSC. “Generating evidence to influence global dialogue with our international colleagues has helped lead to this moment and it was a thrill to see these outcomes come to fruition from the UN General Assembly.”

The resolution’s measures will comply with a dozen previously agreed upon global road safety performance targets that align with the five pillars of the Global Plan for the Decade of Action: road safety management, safer roads and mobility, safer vehicles, safer road users, and post-crash response.

Following discussion of the resolution, UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed announced the launch of the UN Road Safety Trust Fund. Aimed to continue road safety progress across the globe, the fund will focus on bridging the gaps in the allotment of resources for international action.

“The launch of the road safety fund is a testament to the years of efforts by all partners in UNRSC,” said Dr. Bachani. “We at the Johns Hopkins International Injury Research Unit are proud to be part of that process and of this story of change.”

In building the momentum that led to this resolution, Johns Hopkins International Injury Research Unit faculty co-edited world reports on road traffic injuries and child injuries. Through the Unit's previous work with the Road Safety in 10 Countries project, Unit researchers published a handful of papers on the global road safety climate. 

To learn more about JH-IIRU's work in global road safety, please click here.