India has taken a decisive step in tackling one of its most pressing public health challenges. The United Nations Road Safety Fund launched the Sustainable Road Safety Financing Project in New Delhi, aimed at transforming the funding landscape for road safety across the country. The launch coincided with the visit of Jean Todt, the UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Road Safety, who described road crashes as a “silent pandemic” claiming thousands of lives every year in India.
The initiative focuses on establishing predictable and innovative financing mechanisms for road safety, including road safety bonds, dedicated taxes, and public-private partnerships. By ensuring stable funding streams, the project seeks to reduce India’s reliance on annual budget allocations, enabling long-term investment in safer roads, improved trauma care systems, and data-driven interventions.
Transforming Road Safety Financing
The UNRSF project in India will strengthen both national and state-level road safety funds. It promotes capacity building for government agencies to allocate resources effectively, while exploring innovative instruments such as road safety bonds, which mobilise capital from investors for infrastructure and safety programmes. Public-private partnerships (PPP) will support technology deployment, road engineering improvements, and enhanced enforcement, reducing the burden on public budgets and accelerating implementation.
The initiative is being executed in close collaboration with the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, state governments, the World Health Organization, UNICEF, and the Save LIFE Foundation. This multi-stakeholder approach ensures that technical expertise, policy alignment, and on-ground execution are integrated into the project.
Global Alignment and Advocacy
The project aligns with the Global Plan for the Decade of Action for Road Safety 2021–2030, which seeks to reduce road traffic deaths and injuries by at least 50 per cent by 2030. It also supports the UN General Assembly Resolution A/78/L.78, strengthening India’s commitment to international road safety frameworks.
In conjunction with the project, the UN launched the Indian edition of the #MakeASafetyStatement campaign. The global road safety awareness initiative encourages simple, life-saving practices such as wearing seat belts and helmets, avoiding mobile use while driving, and respecting cyclists and pedestrians. The campaign is being promoted through digital billboards and social media in major cities, including New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, and Bengaluru. Cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar joined other international champions to endorse the campaign, reinforcing the message that road safety requires participation from leaders across all sectors.
A Critical Public Health Intervention
India continues to grapple with one of the highest road accident fatality rates in the world, with an estimated 153,972 deaths annually. Pedestrians, cyclists, and motorcyclists constitute a significant portion of victims. The UNRSF project and the #MakeASafetyStatement campaign together aim to create systemic reforms, ensuring that road safety is treated as a national priority with long-term sustainable support.
The UN Road Safety Fund, established in 2018, works globally to support low and middle-income countries in designing and implementing effective road safety strategies. Its approach in India emphasises sustainable financing, safer infrastructure, and behavioural change to reduce fatalities and serious injuries while creating a replicable model for the region.
