The World Health Organization (WHO) has launched a new toolkit to help governments promote active mobility by making walking and cycling safer. The toolkit was unveiled as the 8th UN Global Road Safety Week kicks off, with the theme “Make walking and cycling safe.”
According to WHO, nearly 1.2 million people lose their lives on the roads each year, with more than a quarter of them being pedestrians or cyclists. The organization notes that only 0.2% of roads worldwide are equipped with cycle lanes, and many communities lack basic infrastructure like sidewalks or safe pedestrian crossings.
WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus emphasized the importance of making walking and cycling safe, saying that these modes of transportation improve health and make cities more sustainable. The toolkit provides practical guidance for policymakers, urban planners, and health advocates to promote walking and cycling.
The toolkit calls for bold action, including integrating walking and cycling into transport, health, and education policies, building safe infrastructure, setting and enforcing safer speed limits, and promoting safe road use through public awareness campaigns. WHO is joining hundreds of organizations and governments worldwide to demand urgent action on road safety and make walking and cycling safer and more accessible for everyone.
WHO/Sankofaonline
