Speaker – Dr. Luciana Iorio

Road Safety principles  and guidelines , as universally shared and acknowledged in the Conventions on Road Traffic and Road Signs and Signals , stand as harmonizing essential legal references for traffic regulation worldwide. They are seen, now more than ever before, as   key factors enabling  safe and sustainable mobility,  cohesiveness in  transport  governance, social welfare and  fair sustainable  economic growth.

In this context, the agenda of the  UNECE World Forum for Road Traffic Safety (Global Forum for Road Traffic Safety ), works on the strategic  programmatic points as framed by the UNGA Resolutions ( last 2020-A / RES / 74/299 ) , the Agenda 2030 and the Global plan of Action for Road Safety. The Group , also known as WP1, works steadily to update the Conventions and to draft  more flexible non- binding tools ,  as the Resolutions, in relation to fast evolving topics as, for example, the automotive technology.

On this note, notwithstanding  the rapid development of automotive technology and the availability of assisted driving systems, the Global Forum prefers an in –depth approach when revising and updating  the Treaties or casting the legal replicable mould for  Resolutions. This prudent approach is critically  important to well  address the new  role of the driver in the upcoming  context of automated driving systems, while- at same time- preserving the Conventions principles and, more so,  safeguarding the proper interaction of road users, in particular the vulnerable ones , in the  challenging traffic environment of the next future.

To this end, numerous aspects are analysed from time to time, with the involvement of experts, for example in the field of ethical philosophy applied to the use of artificial intelligence, human-machine interaction (HMI) and the identification of the principle of shared responsibility with automated systems.

The global agenda bears also additional perspectives,  by focusing on   the capacity building projects  to implement road safety in  some critical areas of other UN Regions. Road Safety , as said before, means also safe inclusive mobility, which grants   access to educational and working opportunities,  development and social progress. This is the case of the  long standing South East Asia project , in close collaboration with IRTE ( Institute of Road Traffic Education- Delhi ) or the continuous fruitful collaboration with the neighbouring countries of the Mediterranean area  through the EUroMed program.

The Global Forum follows and supports the work of the UN Special Envoy for Road Safety HE Mr. Jean Todt, as well as   the objectives and strategic decisions of the UNRSF (United Nations Fund for Road Safety).

MS Teams link here

Bio for Dr. Luciana Iorio here

https://unece.org/transport/road-traffic-safety

https://unece.org/info/Transport/Global-Forum-for-Road-Traffic-Safety/events/363901