YOURS – Youth for Road Safety – joined global leaders in Leipzig, Germany, for the 2025 Summit of the International Transport Forum (ITF), the world’s largest gathering of transport ministers and mobility experts. Throughout the Summit, YOURS brought forward bold and urgent youth perspectives to ensure road safety remains a global priority.

Because there’s no sustainability without safety, and no meaningful planning without youth participation.

Calling for stronger global vehicle safety standards

As part of our advocacy efforts, YOURS joined over 30 organisations in signing a joint letter to Dr. Juan Carlos Muñoz, President of the 2025 ITF Summit and Chile’s Minister of Transport. The letter urged ministers to protect and strengthen global vehicle safety regulations — not weaken them.

The key asks included:

1. Encouraging Trade Ministers to avoid negotiating vehicle safety standards in trade deals

2. Supporting global collaboration through the UN World Forum for Harmonization of Vehicle Regulations

3. Ensuring that recent progress in safety standards is reinforced and not reversed

This action, in collaboration with partners like Global NCAP, reinforced our shared belief: safer vehicles save lives — especially young lives — and must be prioritised globally.

Bringing the funding conversation to life

YOURS also took part in the UN Road Safety Fund Media Event, which brought together senior officials and advocates to spotlight the urgent need for increased and sustained financing for road safety.

The session featured:

• Jean Todt, UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Road Safety

• Tatiana Molcean, UNECE Executive Secretary

• Ministers from Chile, Ghana, and Slovenia

• Pierre-Martin Huet, Sustainability & Impact Director, Michelin

• Moderation by Nneka Henry, Head of the UN Road Safety Fund

The event showcased how global partnerships and funding are already delivering results in countries such as Chile and Ghana — and why investing in proven road safety measures must remain a global priority.

Influencing the next Decade of Sustainable Transport

YOURS was invited to contribute to the closed consultation on the UN Decade of Sustainable Transport (2026–2035), alongside key global actors including the Ministry of Transport of Chile, ITF, UN DESA, ADB, UNECE, ECLAC, Walk21, iRAP, TUMI, and GIZ.

We brought forward one clear message:
Young people must be recognised not just as users, but as co-designers of transport systems.

Our inputs focused on three core areas:

• Road safety at the centre:
  Integrate Vision Zero and the Safe System Approach across all mobility plans, and ensure infrastructure investments are safe by design.

• Transport as a health and climate issue:
  Highlight road safety co-benefits in national climate goals and promote youth-led solutions like cycling and walking infrastructure.

• Meaningful youth participation and accountability:
  Institutionalise youth roles in planning, monitoring and reporting mechanisms — and track youth-related targets with disaggregated data and clear indicators.

We also called for the creation of a Youth Movement for the Decade, co-led with civil society, to keep youth at the heart of sustainable transport action.

The message we’re carrying forward:

•  Safe streets and vehicles must be a non-negotiable part of every transport agenda

• Global safety standards should be protected  and strengthened for future generations

•  Youth are not just beneficiaries  we are key stakeholders, actively shaping the future of transport

From policy to planning to financing, YOURS continues to push for a transport future where road safety and youth leadership go hand in hand.

This week, YOURS – Youth for Road Safety joined global leaders and advocates at the Transformative Urban Mobility Initiative (TUMI) Conference in Leipzig, Germany. As the world explores bold ideas for sustainable transport, we brought a powerful reminder: there’s no sustainability without safety.

Because what’s the point of building green cities if young people can’t walk, bike, or move safely in them?

Youth voices shaping urban mobility

At TUMI 2025, YOURS actively contributed to the conversation by bringing the youth perspective to the forefront. As part of the official programme, Sanaa Khasawneh, Advocacy and Campaigns Manager at YOURS, joined a key panel discussion focused on how society shapes urban mobility systems. The session featured diverse voices, including:

• Serhiy Derkach, Deputy Minister, Ministry of Infrastructure, Ukraine

• Bright Oywaya, Global Road Safety Partnership, Kenya

• Sanaa Khasawneh, YOURS

Together, they explored how local leadership and lived experience can drive lasting change. Representing youth voices, Sanaa shared the importance of designing cities with young people, not just for them — ensuring their experiences and ideas are part of the solution. She closed with a powerful spoken word poem, capturing the stories and emotions behind the fight for safer streets.

Honouring remarkable youth leadership

TUMI 2025 also marked the launch of the publication: Remarkable Young Voices in Transport
This collection highlights inspiring young changemakers from around the world, including:

• Sanaa Khasawneh, recognised for her global advocacy work with YOURS.

• Cecilia Melgar, a passionate advocate for safer and more inclusive cities, whose legacy continues to inspire. Cecilia’s memory lives on through Pedalea Seguro, a youth-led project in Lima, Peru supported by the Global Youth Coalition for Road Safety. The initiative promotes cycling as a safe and efficient mode of transport by improving infrastructure, raising public awareness, and building partnerships for a bike-friendly city.

Cecilia’s story is a reminder that behind every bicycle is a dream, a journey, and a life worth protecting. Her spirit continues to guide this movement with empathy, courage, and love.

At YOURS, we’re committed to ensuring that youth voices are heard, respected, and included in every decision-making space. TUMI 2025 was another step in making sure that cities of the future reflect the needs, dreams, and leadership of young people today.

The Youth for Road Safety (YOURS) organisation, in collaboration with the Autoliv Safety Foundation, proudly announces the launch of Jóvenes en Ruta (YouthOnTrack), an initiative aimed at reducing motorcycle-related fatalities among young people in the State of Mexico.

YOURS is honoured to partner with the Autoliv Safety Foundation -founded and funded by Autoliv in order to support scientific research and development in the field of road safety and related areas to promote a better and safer world. This partnership combines Autoliv’s cutting-edge expertise with YOURS’ youth-driven methodologies to create lasting change.

The program will launch in early 2025 and will engage youth leaders in high-risk communities. Using a peer-to-peer approach, Jóvenes en Ruta (YouthOnTrack) aims to build awareness of helmet use and promote safer driving practices. This initiative addresses an urgent need, as motorcycle-related crashes have become the leading cause of death for youth aged 15–29 in Mexico, with fatalities rising 40% over the past decade.

Through workshops, youth leaders will gain critical skills in motorcycle safety, public speaking, and community organizing. These leaders will then implement community activations, reaching over 2,000 young people with life-saving messages. Activities such as university presentations, public demonstrations, and media campaigns will amplify their impact, encouraging safer behaviours across their communities.

The initiative aims to build a foundation for sustained change by collaborating with local NGOs, government institutions, and educational bodies. Trained leaders will continue their advocacy, fostering a culture of safety and responsibility among future cohorts.

YOURS and the Autoliv Safety Foundation invite young people, community organizations, and government officials in the State of Mexico to join this vital movement. Together, we can create safer roads, protect lives, and inspire a new generation of road safety advocates.

 The YOURS Academy, launched in 2022 as the definitive online youth e-learning school for road safety by YOURS – Youth for Road Safety, has been honoured with the highly-coveted Prince Michael International Road Safety Award 2024. This recognition celebrates its innovative and impactful contribution to improving road safety knowledge among young leaders worldwide and making tangible contributions to road safety globally.

The Prince Michael International Road Safety Award is one of the most esteemed honours in the field of road safety, recognising outstanding achievements and innovative approaches to reducing road traffic injuries and fatalities. Established over three decades ago, the award has celebrated the efforts of individuals and organisations globally, highlighting their commitment to making roads safer for everyone.

The award acknowledges the YOURS Academy’s success in equipping young people with essential skills and knowledge through its creative and engaging platform. With six comprehensive modules—ranging from the global road safety crisis to advocacy and soft skills development—the Academy has enabled young leaders to drive meaningful change in their communities. Since its inception, over 2000+ learners have engaged with the platform, and +1,800 certificates have been awarded to those who successfully completed the modules.

“We are absolutely thrilled and deeply honoured that the YOURS Academy has been recognised with this prestigious award,” said Manpreet Darroch, Deputy Director and Capacity Development Director at YOURS. “This achievement reflects the incredible dedication of our team and the inspiring drive of young leaders worldwide who are prioritising road safety in their communities. It celebrates our decade-long efforts in countries and our progress in digitalising outreach, fuelling our passion to continue delivering tools and knowledge for real change. Our heartfelt thanks go to the Prince Michael International Road Safety Awards and the judges for recognising our work—it means so much to all of us at YOURS.”

This milestone highlights the Academy’s ability to provide accessible, engaging, and impactful education both offline and online. By leveraging innovative approaches, YOURS Academy has created a dynamic platform for young advocates to learn at their own pace and make a difference in road safety. It builds on our unique capacity development methodology that has a mission to make road safety cool – using a 4E approach; education, entertainment, empowerment and engagement.

“This award for the YOURS Academy represents a significant milestone in our mission to advance global road safety through innovative capacity development. It reflects the strategic importance of investing in young leaders who are driving change in their communities and beyond. This recognition strengthens our resolve to expand the Academy’s reach and impact, ensuring that road safety remains a top priority for youth. We are deeply grateful to the Prince Michael International Road Safety Awards for this honour, which underscores the value of empowering youth as critical agents of change.”
– Raquel Barrios, Executive Director, YOURS

Young leaders around the world have praised the Academy’s impact.  “YOURS Academy is such a brilliant platform! It compiles essential knowledge that you need to know about road safety. I really enjoyed every section of the first module and very excited to wait for the next ones as this was packaged in a very fun way! I highly recommend this platform to you as young leaders who are advocating for road safety. Congratulations and a welcome to the new road safety champions!” – Estiara Ellizar, Indonesia 

This achievement would not have been possible without the dedication of the incredible young leaders who have embraced the YOURS Academy and are passionate about making the world around them fairer, equitable and accessible. YOURS extends its profound gratitude to its partners, particularly the World Health Organization (WHO) and TotalEnergies Foundation (TEF), whose critical support has been instrumental in bringing the Academy to life. We also acknowledge the invaluable contributions of key collaborators, including The George Institute – Imperial College London namely Dr. Margie Peden, who helped us conceptualise the Academy, Johns Hopkins University, University of New South Wales, FIA Foundation, Parachute, UNICEF, Blaise Murphet Limited, The Partnership for Maternal, Newborn & Child Health (PMNCH), and the Global Alliance of NGOs for Road Safety. Their expertise and commitment played an essential role in shaping the content and impact of the Academy, ensuring our modules are world-class and evidence-based.

Accessible for free, YOURS Academy invites all road safety advocates to join its growing network of active learners, explore partnerships to revitalise road safety education and ultimately take action on the #1 global killer of youth: road traffic crashes.

Learn more and enrol today here