Road safety which means "NO ACCIDENTS" is a result of deliberate efforts on the part of many sectors of society - government and non-government alike - once these sectors have acknowledged it to be an important and valuable public goods, and have developed policies and programmes to support and maintain it.

In response to a growing concern about road traffic injuries, the WHO Director-General has, for the first time in the history of WHO, devoted a World Health Day (7th April) specifically for Road Safety. The world Health Organization and the General Assembly of United Nation declared the Year 2004 as the year of ROAD SAFETY.

Each year road traffic injuries take the lives of 1.2 million men, women and children around the world, and seriously injure millions more.

The death toll is highest and still growing in low and middle-income countries, where pedestrians, motorcyclists, cyclists and passengers are especially vulnerable. In addition to human suffering, estimated costs of road traffic injuries are between 1% and 2% of GNP per annum in these countries. This represents a loss of approximately US$ 65 billion every year; almost twice the total development assistance received worldwide by developing countries.

Yet road traffic injuries can be prevented. Addressing issues such as speeding and driving under the influence of alcohol; promoting the use of helmets, seat belts and other restraints; ensuring that people walking and cycling are more easily visible, improving the design of roads and vehicles, enforcing road safety regulations and improving emergency response services has demonstrated that the needless deaths and disabilities caused by road traffic collisions can be prevented.