'People first' approach needed to improve road safety

Date: 9/5/2012

A new campaign is calling for changes that will include putting people first instead of vehicles in a bid to reduce the number of road accidents around the world.

According to the Make Roads Safe campaign, the upcoming Rio+20 summit must focus on a sustainable transport policy to make protecting humans and the environment more of a priority.

Currently, a 'vehicle first' system is in place that puts motors, highways and speed before safety, the organisation claims.

However, this needs to change and vulnerable road users such as cyclists and pedestrians need to be given greater protection, said author of Safe and Sustainable Roads - an agenda for Rio+20 Kevin Watkins.

He claimed a way to do this would be to improve public transport, as this would encourage people to use alternative ways of getting about, while reducing carbon emissions, exhaust pollution and congestion.

The Global Plan for the UN Decade of Action for Road Safety also needs to be more widely implemented, Mr Watkins suggested.

Rio+20 will take place from June 20th to 22nd.

Posted by Sarah Bailey