摘要：Yearly, more than 1.2 million people are killed by road traffic injuries (RTIs) around the globe, and another 20 to 50 million are injured. The global burden of RTIs is predicted to rise. We explored the need for concerted action for global road safety and propose characteristics of an effective response to the gap in addressing RTIs. We propose that a successful response includes domains such as strong political will, capacity building, use of evidence-based interventions, rigorous evaluation, increased global funding, multisectoral action, and sustainability. We also present a case study of the global Road Safety in 10 Countries project, which is a new, 5-year, multipartner initiative to address the burden of RTIs in 10 low- and middle-income countries. EVERY YEAR, MORE THAN 1.2 million people are killed by road traffic injuries (RTIs) around the world; another 20 million to 50 million are injured or disabled. 1 This global burden of RTIs is predicted to climb steadily, from the ninth leading cause of death in 2004 to the fifth leading cause in 2030. 2 Projections also show that RTIs will be 1 of the 3 leading contributors to the global burden of disease as measured by disability adjusted life years (DALYs) lost over the next 2 decades. 1 In 2004, the global health community recognized the importance of this growing burden with the publication of the World Report on Road Traffic Injury Prevention . 1 This report presented information about the causes, risks, and interventions for RTIs, and prompted the United Nations (UN) General Assembly to pass Resolution 58/289, which acknowledged the global importance of addressing RTIs. 3 The same year, the 57th World Health Assembly adopted Resolution 57/10 on Road Safety and Health, which called for member states to take action on the issue. 4 Three additional UN resolutions have since been adopted on the topic. 5–7 Together with the first Ministerial Meeting on Road Safety, these culminated in the UN General Assembly proclaiming 2011 to 2020 the Decade of Action for Road Safety. 3,4,7,8 With this political momentum and funds from Bloomberg Philanthropies, the World Health Organization (WHO) issued a Global Status Report on Road Safety , 9 providing the first-ever assessment of road safety in 178 countries. The key message from this global baseline report was the widespread lack of road safety programs and the need for effective implementation of evidence-based interventions. Yet, despite the strong political call for action at the global level, limited action has been taken, leaving an implementation gap. In response to this gap, we explore the need for concerted action for global road safety, characterize the nature of an effective response to the gap in addressing RTIs, and define the types of actions that are required to stimulate governments to invest in safety. In doing so, we also highlight a new initiative funded by Bloomberg Philanthropies that serves as one example of how the global community can work toward closing the implementation gap in road safety.
