Note: Single-source report; awaiting corroboration.
Jean Todt, the UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Road Safety and former Ferrari boss, stated that the danger of daily road travel remains comparable to professional motor racing decades ago. Road crashes result in 1.2 million deaths and 50 million injuries each year, making them the leading cause of death for children and young people aged five to 29 worldwide. Todt called this a “silent pandemic on the road,” which society has become accustomed to despite its severity.
Todt emphasized that solutions exist, such as education, law enforcement, improved vehicle quality, safer roads, and better post-crash care. He argued that proper enforcement of seat belt, helmet, speed limit, and drink-driving laws could immediately cut road fatalities in half. However, 90% of road deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries, where safer infrastructure and strong law enforcement are lacking.
According to Todt, early education for children is crucial, as they can learn safe behaviors and influence adult drivers. He warned that without consistent consequences for unsafe conduct, behavior is unlikely to improve, and cited corruption as a barrier to effective law enforcement.
New challenges to road safety include the rise of e-bikes, e-scooters, and app-based delivery riders, who often operate without helmets and face pressure to meet tight deadlines. Todt noted that while self-driving cars may offer future benefits, they will not provide immediate relief, especially in regions still reliant on older vehicles and underdeveloped public transportation.