2015 Legislators meet in Brasilia during the 2nd Global High-Level Conference on Road Safety

Co-chaired by Deputy Hugo Leal of the Brazilian Congress and Lord Robertson of the UK Parliament, an official side event at the Conference explored the role of Parliaments in supporting the Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011-2020 and the casualty reduction target included in the Sustainable Development Goals. The speakers included Dr Margaret Chan, Director General of the WHO; Hon Michael McCormack MP, Minister for Road Safety, Assistant Minister to the Deputy Prime Minister, Government of Australia, Dr. Pere Macías, President, Commission on Road Safety, Congress of Deputies, Parliament of Spain, Hon. Irene Naa Torshie Addo MP, Member of Parliamentary Committee on Roads and Transport, Parliament of Ghana and Jim Fitzpatrick MP, Vice Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Council for Transport Safety and Member of the UK House of Commons. The speakers highlighted the key contribution of legislators in the adoption of effective road traffic injury prevention polices and measures. Dr Chan highlighted the findings of the Global status report on road safety 2015 which charts progress in the application of laws but also warned that far more action is required to overcome the serious shortfall in legislation by many Member States and to meet the target to halve road traffic deaths and injuries by 2020. Dr Chan also applauded the engagement of parliamentarians and welcomed the proposal to establish a global network for road safety legislators.