UNICEF highlights role of media in increasing road safety for children and adolescents

Ahmedabad, 16 October 2024 – To protect children from the increasing dangers of road accidents, over 30 media professionals from print, online, and radio gathered in Ahmedabad for a two-day ‘National Media Workshop on Road Safety,’ organized by UNICEF.  The event aimed to enhance the capacity of journalists to promote road safety, especially for children and adolescents, and to foster collaboration among experts, government officials, and media professionals to advocate for the same.

The workshop provided insights into the urgent need for road safety awareness in India, where children and adolescents face significant risks. Road crashes claim the lives of over 42 children and 31 adolescents every day in India.i Many of these incidents occur near schools and colleges, making it crucial to raise awareness and address the root causes of road safety violations.

In August 2020, the UN General Assembly adopted "Improving global road safety", proclaiming the Decade of Action for Road Safety 2021-2030, with the ambitious target of preventing at least 50% of road traffic deaths and injuries by 2030.

A  2022 UNICEF report ‘Child and Adolescent Road Safety in South Asia’ highlights that in 2019, injuries caused 9 % of the 12.2 million deaths in the region and road traffic collisions made quarter of those. Among children and adolescents, 171,468 died from injuries, with 29,859 of these deaths caused by road traffic collisions, along with drowning. The overall road traffic death rate was 6 per 100,000 people. These accidents also led to loss of 2.5 million disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) among those under 20. With over 708 million children and adolescents in South Asia, urgent governmental action is imperative, given the substantial economic impact. 

Dr. Syed Ali Hubbe, Health Specialist, UNICEF India, underscored the urgency of addressing road safety from a child rights perspective: “India accounts for 1% of the world's vehicles but 11% of all road accident deaths and 6% of total road crashes, according to a World Bank 2021 report. Children and adolescents are particularly vulnerable, with over-speeding near schools being a major risk factor. Through media, we can promote awareness to reduce the number of injuries and deaths through critical safety measures like helmet use, speed limits, and seatbelt usage.”

The workshop also saw participation from key persons including Shri S. Patel,  CEO, Gujarat Road Safety Authority, Dr G Gururaj, WHO Collaborating Centre (NIMHANS), Dr Narayan Gaonkar, Health Specialist, UNICEF Gujarat, Dr S.K Chenji, Health Officer UNICEF Gujarat , Dr Sridhar Ryavanki, Health Specialist, UNICEF Telangana, Mr. Amar Karan, Sr. Programme Coordinator Center for Environment Education, Dr Gaurang Joshi, Professor & HOD, Dept of Transport & Engineering, SVNIT Surat, Mr Kuldeep Tiwari, Asst Editor, Ahmedabad Mirror, Vice President, Gujarat Media Club, Mr Utsav Parmar, Deputy Director, Doordarshan, youth advocate Avira Bhatt, Ms. Sonia Sarkar, Communication Officer (Media), UNICEF, and senior media representatives from print, broadcast, online and radio.

Technical and media experts provided valuable insights on ‘Road Safety Challenges and Solutions,’ inspiring participants to innovate their reporting, particularly with a focus on child safety. The workshop engaged the media through group discussions focusing on consistent use of the right type of helmet, saying no to alcohol while driving, adhering to speed limits while driving and consistent use of seat belt in four-wheeler drive. The workshop concluded with a call to action for media professionals to drive informed public discourse and actively contribute to raising awareness of road safety measures across India, ensuring that children and adolescents can travel safely.