The World Health Organization have published a new Road Safety Media brief to enable journalists all around the world to accurately report on road safety around the world. The brief gives media personnel around the world bitesized evidence based information ready for publication, especially in placing a much needed spotlight on the cause as a major global health issue.
The Road Safety Media Brief aims to support journalists who are producing stories on road safety. The brief compiles information on a variety of road safety topics with the objective of making this information more easily accessible to media from all over the world.
Road traffic crashes are often covered in the media simply as events—not as a leading killer of people and an enormous drain on a country’s human, health and financial resources.
By framing road safety as a health and development story, with data and in-depth information, journalists have the opportunity to affect the way these stories are told and potentially to help shift public behaviour and attitudes, influence policy and therefore contribute towards saving lives.
The Road Safety Media Brief consists of the following six downloadable fact sheets with active links to additional resources from WHO and other organizations:
Road Safety: Basic Facts – This fact sheet briefly defines the problem posed by the lack of safety on the roads, its consequences for countries and some possible solutions. Download the PDF.
Road Safety: The Role of WHO – is fact sheet explains what WHO does in the field of road safety and how the Organization can help reporters write more comprehensively about it. Download the PDF.
Road Safety: Risk Factors – This fact sheet summarizes facts and information on risk factors such as speeding, drinking and driving, and failing to use motorcycle helmets, seat-belts and child restraints as well as the level of progress being made in some countries to address these issues. Download the PDF.
Nine Common Road Safety Myths – This fact sheet clarifies some “common beliefs” or myths that might lead media to report inaccurately about the problem or the solutions. Download the PDF.
Road Safety: Resources – This fact sheet compiles almost one hundred active links to publications, fact sheets, case studies, projects, databases, and events – offered by WHO and other organizations – that reporters can use to write on the topic of road safety. Download the PDF.
This media kit bridges the gap between a lack of knowledge on road safety for media professionals as well as highlighting the gravity of the road safety issue from a neutral and evidence based stand point. This kit will enable media professionals a level of information that brings them up to speed on road safety as a major public health concern.
We are also very happy to note that WHO have included YOURS in its resources section as an active NGO for youth and road safety issues.