The World Rally Championship showed its support for the Make Roads Safe campaign and the call for a Decade of Action for Road Safety at the official launch of the 2010 WRC season in Paris today.
The initiative forms part of the FIA’s continued commitment and support for the Commission for Global Road Safety and its Make Roads Safe campaign.
Jean Todt, FIA President said:
“We are one month away from one of the most important turning points in the history of Road Safety. In March the UN General Assembly is set to approve a Decade of Action for Road Safety, if this happens we could save five million lives over the next 10 years.
“I am pleased that WRC has also rallied itself behind the cause, helping give further exposure to the campaign and helping the Decade become a reality.”
Sébastien Loeb, six time World Rally Champion said:
“I support this campaign and other road safety initiatives. Road crashes kill on the same scale as Malaria, and it is important for long term action at the highest level in order to make roads safe.”
Kimi Räikkönen, former Formula One World Champion turned WRC driver said:
“I am pleased to be able to lend my support to this campaign. It is important for us to use the high profile of our sport to highlight the terrible accidents occurring on the world’s roads, and even more importantly for us to help find a solution to these problems.”
Last November the Russian Federation hosted the first ever Global Ministerial Summit on Road Safety in Moscow, opened by the Russian President Dimitri Medvedev, with representatives from 140 countries including around 70 national ministers. The Ministerial signed the Moscow Declaration calling on the UN to adopt the Decade of Action for Road Safety. The FIA’s member clubs played a vital part in ensuring a high level turn out and sat shoulder to shoulder with their national ministers during the event.
Road crashes already kill on a scale of Malaria or Tuberculosis and they are forecast to increase dramatically unless action is taken:
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By 2030, the projected number of deaths on the world’s roads will be roughly double the current level. |
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Around 1.3 million people will be killed on the world’s roads this year. Over 90 per cent of these fatalities occur in the world’s poorest countries. |
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Road traffic fatalities are the single biggest source of death among 15-19 year olds in developing countries and the second leading cause among 5-14 year olds. |
For images of the WRC drivers backing the campaign please click on the links below:
- Jean Todt and WRC Drivers
- Sébastien Loeb
- Mikko Hirvonen
- Kimi Räikkönen
For further information and to support the campaign visit www.makeroadssafe.org