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On behalf of WHO at the global and country level, I would like to welcome you warmly to this road safety reporting training, and acknowledge our partners, the Asia-Pacific Institute for Broadcasting Development.
This training matters because road safety remains one of the most overlooked public health crises of our time.
We are here because road safety has an image problem. And we need your help to change that.
Let’s begin by understanding the scale of the issue.
Each year, road crashes claim 1.2 million lives globally—that’s more than 3,200 people every day.
While this is a global issue, the impact is especially severe in our own region – Asia bears more than half of this burden.
Most victims are young people, pedestrians, motorcyclists, and cyclists.
Tragically, road crashes are the leading cause of death worldwide for children and youth aged 5 to 29.
In Viet Nam alone, 2,000 children and young people die on the roads every year. That’s five young lives lost every single day—five families devastated, five communities mourning.
As a mother of two young children, this hits close to home. Somewhere in Viet Nam today, five other parents will face the unimaginable grief of losing a child to a road crash.
This situation is all the more awful for the fact that it is almost entirely preventable.
These aren’t just statistics. Each number represents a life, a story, a future cut short. And behind these stories lie deeper, systemic issues—unsafe infrastructure, lack of protective gear, weak emergency response, and the ripple effects on families, health systems, and economies.
Yet, there is cause for optimism.
Many countries, including Viet Nam, are making progress. We’ve seen a gradual decline in road traffic deaths, thanks to stronger enforcement of helmet and drink-driving laws, better infrastructure including safer school zones, and multisectoral collaboration.
This shows progress is not only possible – but brings broader co-benefits for societies and economies:
- Road crashes cost many countries around 5% of GDP. Yet safe mobility powers growth and opportunity.
- Injuries pile pressure on health systems. Yet safe and green transport boosts healthy, active mobility.
- Transport accounts for a quarter of global carbon emissions and fuels congestion in our cities. Yet when mobility is made safe and accessible, people choose the greener options of public transport, walking and cycling.
- Safe and sustainable mobility makes cities more liveable and air more breathable. It underpins a prosperous, sustainable future for us all.
Rapid development doesn’t have to mean rising road deaths. We have the tools to save lives and keep traffic flowing. But building safe road systems requires a shift in mindset—from accepting crashes as inevitable to designing systems that prioritize safety.
The Global Plan for the Decade of Action for Road Safety provides a roadmap. It calls for transport systems that prioritize people and safety—not vehicles.
This brings us back to the role of perception—and the powerful influence of the media.
Too often, crashes are reported as isolated incidents, with blame placed on individual road users. This narrative makes road deaths seem unavoidable – or mostly the fault of individuals.
But they are not. Road crashes are a preventable public health crisis, with systemic causes and proven solutions.
As journalists, you play a vital role in reshaping public understanding. Your reporting can uncover root causes, highlight effective responses, and challenge the notion that these tragedies are simply “accidents.”
This workshop is designed to equip you with the tools and insights to tell these stories with depth, accuracy and impact.
Our goal must be to achieve zero deaths and serious injuries by creating a road system that is resilient and safe for all users.
When we frame crashes as preventable, we build the political will and public support needed for change. Countries can then create systems that protect all road users—especially the most vulnerable.
Research shows that even small editorial changes in news coverage can shift public perception and influence decision-makers.
So, over the next few days, I encourage you to think about the lives behind the headlines. Explore how your work can help change the narrative around road safety. And to think about how you can play your part in addressing this shared challenge.
Thank you for your commitment to good journalism—and to building safer, healthier roads across Asia.
Thank you / Xin cảm ơn!