Male’ Maldives:

In the first 3 months of 2007 alone, more than 830 accidents have been recorded on our roads. 108 of the victims suffered serious injuries and 4 have died

Maldives Police Service and Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital Statistics

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Don’t Risk It, because “Accidents - You Never See It Coming”!

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Initiated by the United Nations General Assembly resolution, the First United Nations Global Road Safety Week is being marked from 23-29 April 2007 across the world, where it is expected that hundreds of road safety initiatives will take place on local, national and international levels.

The global theme for the week is "young road users” and objectives are to raise awareness about the societal impact and costs of road traffic injuries, highlighting in particular the risks for young road users, including young drivers and promote action around key factors which have a major impact on preventing road traffic injuries: helmets, seat-belts, substance-influenced driving, speeding and infrastructure.

In the Maldives, the Government and the UN resident agencies will inaugurate the Road Safety Week with a ceremony at the Maldives Center for Social Education (MCSE) on Monday, 23 April 2007 where the Ministry of Health will launch the 3-year Injury Prevention Plan.  Safe riding practices will also be highlighted with a motorcycle rally following the Ceremony.

Various activities have also been planned throughout the Road Safety Week.  Schools will be collaborating with Traffic Police to create awareness on road safety for young road users, and nationwide awareness programmes promoting road safety will be carried out by various media.  A music show featuring local artistes advocating for road safety will also be held at the Artificial Beach on 27 April.

Together we can make our roads safe!

“Road safety will not happen by accident. And let us improve safety on the world’s roads, for their (young people) sake and for ours”

Ban Ki-moon, Secretary-General of the United Nations, 2007.