Car Accidents > News
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Government Funding To Help Improve Road Safety In Developing Countries
Mon, 23 Nov 2009

The British government is to provide £1.5 million of funding to help improve road safety in some of the world's poorest countries.

The funding, from the Department for International Development (DFID), will be used to improve driving skills and make roads safer by providing pedestrian crossings, more traffic lights and better road markings at dangerous junctions.

According to official statistics, road accidents are responsible for more deaths than malaria in developing countries, with over 3,000 people dying on the roads each day.

It is hoped the new measures will help save an estimated five million lives and avoid 500 million serious injuries over the next decade.

Speaking at the first-ever ministerial global road safety summit in Moscow, Minister for Development Gareth Thomas said: It is shocking to know that statistically, two of the most dangerous things that people in developing countries do in their daily lives is travel on or cross the road."

"I want to see this funding make a real impact on reducing casualty numbers where it's needed most."

"It will help with implementing basic safety measures such as increased seatbelt use, improved road markings, driver and police training, and more traffic lights in some of the world's poorest countries."

"Statistics show that the UK has some of the safest roads in the world," he added. "We must use our expertise to help developing countries meet the safety standards that we take for granted."

Minister for Transport Paul Clark said: "By investing in road safety not just in Britain but around the world, and by sharing what we have learnt, I hope we can help other countries to cut the terrible toll of deaths on the roads."
add to favouritesnewsletterlink to this pagesend to friendpost comments

Link to this page

Copy and Paste the following HTML into your page.