Globally, between 25 and 33 percent of road crashes are work related and 36 percent of occupational deaths are due to crashes. As of 2014, there were more than 329 million commercial vehicles on the world’s roads. Companies have the responsibility of considering the welfare of their employees, as well as the potential dangers business fleets may pose. People are a company’s greatest asset, and the private sector must create a culture of safety for their employees and communities.

Together for Safer Roads (TSR)– a coalition of global private sector companies- is committed to leveraging member companies’ collective private sector intellectual capital and expertise to advance best practices for companies and their fleets, while supporting them to implement evidence-based approaches to improve transportation and road safety. The members of TSR collectively operate some 600,000 fleet vehicles around the world, representing a tremendous potential and responsibility to save lives on the world’s roads.

UNITAR alongside public and private sector partners, is committed to both strengthening the capacities of government officials and key stakeholders such as the private sector to improve road safety as well as supporting the implementation of innovate actions that can help achieve road safety related targets. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by the 193 Members of the United Nations, has set a global goal (SDG 3) of reducing road traffic deaths and injuries by 50% by the year 2020.

The 2030 Agenda also calls for “Making cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable” (SDG 11) and sets as a target to “provide access to safe, affordable, accessible and sustainable transport systems for all, improving road safety, notably by expanding public transport, with special attention to the needs of those in vulnerable situations, women, children, persons with disabilities and older persons (Target 11.2)”.