The Global Alliance of NGOs for Road Safety (the Alliance) and Uber launch a new partnership to stimulate a global push for greater availability of safe, affordable motorcycle helmets.
Motorcyclists account for 28% of all road traffic fatalities worldwide and motorcycle deaths are increasing around the world1. Correct use of quality helmets can reduce the risk of dying in a crash by 42% and reduce the risk of a head injury by 69%2. As motorcycle usage continues to rise significantly in low- and middle-income countries, increasing helmet use will help to reduce the 1.3 million deaths that occur on the world’s roads every year3.
Increasing helmet use cannot simply be achieved through educating riders on the safety benefits of helmets, it requires comprehensive laws, mandating the correct use of helmets, combined with enforcement and promotion of the law4. To achieve this, motorcycle users must have access to safe, affordable helmets that meet national or international standards.
With support from Uber, the Alliance will convene a global working group of road safety experts that will develop tools to support civil society advocacy for increased availability of safe, affordable, effective helmets.
NGOs are at the forefront of advocacy for motorcycle helmet use, laws, standards, and enforcement. The tools developed will bring together successful case studies from NGOs around the world that can be used as inspiration for other civil society advocates seeking to increase safe helmet usage in their countries. They will consider the barriers to safe helmet use, including affordability, availability, lack of standards, and misconceptions, and how these can be overcome with reference to NGOs’ experiences.
“We know that effective motorcycle helmets save lives,” said Lotte Brondum, Executive Director of the Alliance. “NGOs have an important role in pushing for helmet laws and enforcement, ensuring that helmets are affordable, available, and fit for purpose, and raising community understanding of why these laws are needed.”
“We are proud to support the Alliance in the formation of a global working group to address the issue of helmets for the growing number of two and three wheelers,” said Kristin Smith, Global Head of Road Safety Policy at Uber. “We hope to leverage our scale to improve helmet use and motorcycle safety on and off the platform.”