World Resources Institute: Why sustainable cities need to tackle road safety

Can a city where pedestrians, cyclists and children get injured or killed on the roads be a truly sustainable one? Given the rapid urbanization of the world’s population, road safety is a critical development and sustainability issue.

Over a million people are killed in traffic crashes each year. They are the biggest killer of children and young adults aged between five and 24. Their impact, especially in poorer communities, can be devastating.

The latest episode of the World Resources Institute’s Big Ideas Into Action podcast examines why and how to make roads safer. WRI experts working in Turkey, Africa and Colombia discuss their work and the impact it has on road safety. The WRI Ross Center’s Director of Health and Road Safety also explains why sustainable cities must have safe roads for everyone to use.