21 November 2018 – At the Fourth National Traffic and Safety Conference, Dr Christoph Hamelmann, WHO Representative in the Islamic Republic of Iran, expressed the readiness of WHO to expand support for the reduction of road traffic fatalities and injuries in the country.
During his opening remarks addressing hundreds of high-ranking officers and experts from the University of Traffic Police, Dr Christoph Hamelmann highlighted that WHO is working with the Ministry of Health and Medical Education and other stakeholders, including the Police Department of the Islamic Republic of Iran (NAJA), on the implementation of key components of the national road safety plan, including improvements in emergency care, road safety reports and an integrated traffic injury registry.
He referred to the national Road Safety Strategic Plan (2011–2020) and its 14 strategic objectives relating to speed management, motorist and pedestrian safety, the development of a comprehensive crash databank, road infrastructure safety, vehicle safety, and post-crash management, saying that "within two years the strategic plan will need revision and WHO is ready to support this process”.
More than 90% of global traffic fatalities occur in low- and middle-income countries, which own only 48% of the world’s registered vehicles. The proportion of traffic injuries in the Islamic Republic of Iran is higher than in most other parts of the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region and the rest of the world, and is one of the country’s most serious problems.
To save millions of lives the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed the Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011–2020. This evolves around five pillars including building road safety management capacity, improving the safety of road infrastructure, further developing the safety of vehicles, enhancing the behaviour of road users and improving post-crash response.
In 2018, more than 1.25 million people lost their lives on the world’s roads. Road traffic crashes are among the top five leading causes of death in the Islamic Republic of Iran.
On 18 November 2018, the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims was held under the theme "Roads have stories". The Day was commemorated across to world to increase awareness on the importance of safer roads and mobility.
