The second UN Global Road Safety Week took place from 6-12 May 2013 with activities taking place across the world to draw attention to the urgent need to better protect pedestrians, and the EASST region was no exception.
Long Short Walk in Ukraine organized by EASST partner Road Safety Support Foundation
From Minsk to Bishkek, our EASST partners and the EASST team conducted workshops, conferences, media campaigns and other activities in aid of Global Road Safety Week including the key event of the week – the Long Short Walk, initiated by the Make Roads Safe Campaign.
Events were organised in Belarus by EASST partner the Belarusian Auto Moto Touring Club (BKA)
The Long Short Walk campaigns for the rights of pedestrians and children on the road to be recognised and urges greater investment in safe footpaths, cycle-ways and crossing points, on streets with lower speed limits, especially around schools.
EASST’s Georgian partner the Partnership for Road Safety Foundation held four Long Short Walks in Telavi, Batumi, Lagodekhi and Mukhrovani and received extensive media coverage of their Global Road Safety Week activities
EASST Long Short Walks took place in Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, and Ukraine – countries where pedestrians are at a particular risk. EASST’s Emma MacLennan and Dmitry Sambuk travelled to St Petersburg to participate in the Safe Roads for All Forum. EASST’s Patron Lord Robertson launched the Commission for Global Road Safety’s new report, ‘Safe Roads for All’, calling for road injury prevention to be included as a target within the post-2015 sustainable development agenda which is currently being negotiated by governments at the United Nations.
The St Petersburg Long Short Walk with EASST’s Dmitry Sambuk
EASST’s Julie Utting travelled to Kyrgyzstan to support EASST’s partner Road Safety NGO with their week’s activities including the Long Short Walk, meeting with Vice Prime Minister Sarpashev, and organization of a Road Safety Forum at the Russian-Kyrgyz University.
The Bishkek Long Short Walk organised by EASST’s Kyrgyz partner Road Safety NGO
Pedestrians comprise around one quarter of the annual global road deaths, estimated at More than 5000 pedestrians being killed on the world’s roads each week. Due to a lack of attention to their needs, and a tendency in recent decades to favour private motorized transport, pedestrians are today at an increased risk of death, injury and disability. Many of those killed are children and older people.
EASST partner the Automobile Club of Moldova organized events in Chisinau
In Azerbaijan, EASST’s partner HAYAT NGO held the Long Short Walk in Baku
A full gallery of EASST’s images can be viewed via our Facebook page.
