The five-year investment will support safer road policies, improved street design, vehicle safety measures and connected cycling infrastructure across 13 countries and more than 30 cities.
Bloomberg Philanthropies has announced a $350 million investment aimed at reducing road traffic deaths and improving cycling infrastructure around the world.
According to an official announcement from Bloomberg Philanthropies, the new five-year commitment will support road safety programmes in 13 countries and more than 30 cities. The initiative aims to help save one million lives over the next five years.
The investment will focus on proven measures including stronger road safety laws, safer street design, improved vehicle standards, speed management and better enforcement. Part of the funding will also be used to develop safer and more connected cycling networks.
Focus on countries facing the greatest risks
Road traffic injuries remain a major global public health challenge, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.
Bloomberg Philanthropies reports that more than one million people die in road crashes every year, while as many as 50 million people are injured. More than 90 percent of road traffic deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries, where rapid urbanisation and increasing vehicle use often outpace safety improvements.
Children and young adults face especially serious risks. Road traffic injuries are the leading cause of death globally among people aged between five and 29.
The new programme is expected to help national governments and city authorities introduce evidence-based interventions tailored to local road safety challenges.
Safer cycling infrastructure included
The commitment also includes an expansion of Bloomberg Philanthropies’ work on cycling infrastructure.
Participating cities will be supported in developing connected networks that separate cyclists from fast-moving traffic and make cycling a safer transport option. The programme will also focus on improving junctions, road layouts and other locations where vulnerable road users face higher collision risks.
Safe cycling infrastructure can support public health and urban mobility goals while helping cities reduce congestion and transport-related emissions.
Building on nearly two decades of work
Bloomberg Philanthropies has worked on global road safety since 2007. According to the organisation’s road safety programme information, it has committed approximately $865 million to road safety initiatives since the programme began.
Its previous work has included supporting changes to road safety legislation, strengthening crash data systems, improving enforcement and helping cities redesign dangerous roads and intersections.
The latest $350 million commitment represents a substantial expansion of that work and places additional emphasis on safe cycling as part of wider road safety policy.
The programme’s success will ultimately depend on how effectively participating governments and cities translate the funding into enforceable policies, safer infrastructure and measurable reductions in deaths and serious injuries.
