Rapid strides being made by India in the mobility sector have also put in on the global map of nations which are accident-prone and require a roadmap to bring down accidents, as it leapfrogs into the future. In a significant push to address India’s road accident crisis, the United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Road Safety, Jean Todt, on Tuesday, launched the Indian leg of a global road safety awareness campaign in the national capital at the United Nations India office, roping in celebrities to promote everyday measures to improve road safety.
"We are having an awareness programme by having people who can influence people; for example, if Sachin Tendulkar says something in India, people will pay more attention. We have practical expectations from these campaigns to bring a change on the ground," Todt tells THE WEEK.
The campaign, titled ‘Make A Safety Statement’, is part of the UN-JCDecaux Global Campaign for Road Safety. Digital billboards and posters carrying powerful safety messages will be displayed across four major Indian cities—New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, and Bengaluru— alongside a strong push on social media.
The campaign promotes key safety measures such as wearing seat belts and helmets, driving within speed limits, avoiding mobile phone use while driving, not driving under the influence of alcohol or when tired, and respecting pedestrians and cyclists. First announced in 2022, the initiative will reach 80 countries and 1,000 cities by the end of 2026. It has already been rolled out in over 50 countries, including Belgium, the United States, Japan, Nigeria, Mexico, and the UAE.
Adding star power to the initiative, cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar released a special video endorsing the campaign. Tendulkar, now designated a Global Champion for Road Safety, urged citizens to adopt responsible behaviour on the roads. Tendulkar joins 16 global celebrities and national Olympic champions already advocating for simple and effective road safety rules.
Beyond cricket, he has long been associated with child welfare initiatives as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador for South Asia and through the Sachin Tendulkar Foundation.
"Road crashes are a silent pandemic around the world, says Todt , adding, “In India, it continues to claim thousands of lives each year, deeply affecting families and communities across the country.”
“For a nation marked by a rapid growth in mobility, working together to address road safety can help reduce the number of victims on the roads.”
In India alone, road accidents claim an estimated 1,53,972 lives annually, with a death rate of 15.4 per 1,00,000 people. Pedestrians, cyclists, and motorcyclists remain the most vulnerable.
The launch comes 11 months after UN Member States adopted the Marrakesh Declaration, pledging to halve global road deaths by 2030 under the Second Decade of Action for Road Safety.
Alongside the awareness campaign, the UN also announced a new project funded by the UN Road Safety Fund (UNRSF) titled ‘Sustainable Financing for Road Safety in India: A Collaborative Approach.’ Implemented with technical support from the World Health Organisation (WHO), UNICEF and UNESCAP, the project will work with Rajasthan, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Assam to strengthen financing frameworks, improve coordination, and reduce fatalities and serious injuries.