The World Health Organisation has called for greater focus on the way in which the planet’s roads are designed to support the continued fall in the number of road deaths.

The organisation revealed despite the addition of more than one billion motor-vehicles to the world’s roads, road traffic deaths declined by 21% between 2011 and 2025.

It added the world has experienced profound changes in road traffic during this time with the emergence of new modes of transport and a sharp rise in motorcycle use. Despite this progress, however, road traffic crashes still claimed 1.16 million people’s lives in 2025. Road traffic injuries remain the leading cause of death among children and youth aged 5–29 years.

The new WHO data comes as global leaders this week adopted a new United Nations (UN) General Assembly progress declaration on road safety. The declaration aims to boost global action to meet the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target of a 50% reduction in road deaths and serious injuries by 2030 compared with the levels in 2021.

“This progress shows that change is possible when countries invest in safe road systems. In the last 15 years we have made real progress in reducing road deaths, despite surging vehicle numbers and major shifts in how people move,” said WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. “I commend countries for the strong political declaration they are adopting today, which aims to accelerate action to ensure more roads are designed for people first, not motor vehicles, with safety as priority. All road deaths are preventable, and none are acceptable.”

The new UN declaration included a comprehensive set of commitments by UN Member States to implement national road safety strategies with clear targets, timelines and budgets. These commitments include establishing lead road safety agencies, improving data collection and analysis, developing and enforcing stronger legislation, and ensuring that roads, infrastructure and vehicles meet key safety standards.

The declaration commits countries to implementing the proven ‘safe system’ approach, which recognises that people will always make mistakes on the road. The approach promotes safer roads, infrastructure, vehicles, speed limits and regulations that account for human error and ensure that crash impacts remain within survivable levels. It also calls on governments to provide leadership and take additional action and urges the private sector to prioritize road safety throughout their supply chains. The declaration also highlights the important roles of civil society, academia, youth, philanthropic organisations and the UN in driving progress.

With nearly 60% of the world’s population now living in urban areas, growing demand for mobility threatens to overwhelm transport systems that were largely designed around private motor vehicles.

With the rise of ride-hailing and delivery apps, the number of motorcycles more than tripled between 2011 and 2025. Deaths among motorcyclists now account for nearly a third of the world’s road fatalities. Wearing a safe motorcycle helmet reduces the risk of death in a crash by more than six times.

New forms of mobility, including e-scooters, e-bikes and autonomous vehicles, present both challenges and opportunities for transport planners and policymakers. WHO is working to close gaps in laws and rules, promote consistent safety standards and is bringing together leading experts to find new ways to ensure all new vehicles and technologies are safe.

“More than half of all road deaths are people who are not even in a car – they are walking, cycling or riding a motorcycle. When roads are designed as if only car drivers matter, these people are left dangerously exposed,” said Dr Etienne Krug director of the Department of Health Determinants, Promotion and Prevention at WHO. “We know what works –  strong laws and enforcement, safe infrastructure and vehicles with particular attention to lowering speed and addressing impaired driving. This declaration means we must all go further and faster.”