Road safety advocates in IndiaA new commitment from Bloomberg Philanthropies (BP) will allow the Global Health Advocacy Incubator (GHAI) to expand its lifesaving Road Safety program alongside other global partners. The initiative will allow us to more than double the number of countries in which we work and contribute to BP’s goal of saving 600,000 lives and preventing up to 22 million injuries over the next 6 years.
GHAI’s Road Safety program advances policy change that saves lives on the road. We advance legislation to address all five of the leading risk factors: speed, drink driving, helmets, child restraints and seat belts. Our local partners have contributed to policy wins in diverse political systems, from the Philippines’ first child restraint bill for motor vehicles to a comprehensive road safety law in India.
Under the new agreement, GHAI will begin working with partners in Bangladesh, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Uganda and Vietnam, adding to our existing work in China, India, Philippines and Tanzania.
BP began investing in road safety 12 years ago in an initiative that has saved 312,000 lives. Its evaluations have determined that 75% of those lives were saved as a result of stronger road safety legislation.
“We are grateful for Bloomberg Philanthropies’ continued faith in our approach to policy change. We look forward to working with them and all our Bloomberg Philanthropies Initiative for Global Road Safety partners to prevent needless deaths and injuries in all ten countries and across the globe,” Danny McGoldrick, vice president, GHAI, announced.
Road traffic injuries are the leading cause of death for children and young adults age 5 to 29, and the 8th leading cause of death overall.
GHAI’s proven, systematic approach to health policy change is customized by local partners around the world. The Bloomberg Philanthropies Initiative for Global Road Safety also includes the World Health Organization, National Association of City Transportation Officials—Global Designing Cities Initiative, Global Road Safety Partnership, World Resources Institute, Johns Hopkins International Injury Research Unit, World Bank’s Global Road Safety Facility, Global New Car Assessment Programme (NCAP), Vital Strategies, and International Association of Chiefs of Police.
Learn more about the Bloomberg Philanthropies Initiative for Global Road Safety: https://www.bloomberg.org/program/public-health/road-safety/
