Media Release: 26 March 2010

AA calls for a decade of action for road safety at annual conference in Hamilton

The AA has today endorsed the global campaign to declare an historic Decade of Action for Road Safety from 2011 to 2020 – aimed at saving five million lives over the next 10 years.

Earlier this month the UN General Assembly's 64th Session approved a resolution proclaiming the Decade of Road Safety and announced an action plan to implement its objectives in consultation with the world motoring body, the FIA. The historic declaration follows the first-ever Global Ministerial Summit for Road Safety held in Moscow last November, attended by governments from around the world, which endorsed the establishment of a global governmental framework for road safety.

Mike Noon, AA General Manager of Motoring Affairs, who attended the Moscow Summit along with the Chief Executive of the New Zealand Ministry of Transport, Martin Matthews, says the AA is committed to playing an even greater role over the next 10 years to improve road safety in New Zealand.

“Using our international motoring club networks and relationship with the FIA, we will ensure New Zealand has access to some of the world’s most effective road safety initiatives.”

“The recent release of the 2020 road safety strategy provides New Zealand with a good framework and means we are well on our way to reducing the number of road deaths and serious injuries, as well as fulfilling our international obligations.”

“However more can be done. We believe every electorate MP should step up and commit themselves to providing local road safety leadership – engaging their councils, communities and transport agencies. As the police say, road safety is everyone’s responsibility. By everyone working together we can make a real difference to reducing the 16,000 New Zealanders injured or killed on our roads every year. If we each play our part, then will we really be able to achieve our long term vision of a safe New Zealand driving system, with safer drivers, in safer cars, on safer roads,” says Mr Noon.

Ends

© Scoop Media