The publication is reproduced in full below:
IN RECOGNITION OF THE 6TH UNITED NATIONS GLOBAL ROAD SAFETY WEEK
______
HON. RICHARD HUDSON
of north carolina
in the house of representatives
Monday, May 17, 2021
Mr. HUDSON. Madam Speaker, I rise today as co-chair of the Global Road Safety Caucus to mark the 6th United Nations Global Road Safety Week, which begins today.
In September 2020, the United Nations passed a resolution declaring the years 2021 through 2030 a new Decade of Action for Road Safety. Additionally, the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 3.6 includes a call to address the personal, medical, and financial burdens associated with road traffic deaths and injuries.
The number of deaths on the world's roads remains unacceptably high, with an estimated 1.35 million people dying each year. But this is not just an issue in other countries. The National Safety Council (NSC) says deaths from motor vehicles rose 8 percent last year in the United States, with as many as 42,060 Americans dying in vehicle crashes. Also according to the State Department, road crash deaths are the single greatest cause of death for Americans traveling abroad.
As the Congress and the Biden administration consider investing in infrastructure, we must ensure these investments promote safety practices through a safe-systems approach and improve our roads and other infrastructure in ways that protect people and families. And as Americans begin traveling domestically and internationally again as we emerge from the Covid-19 pandemic, we should be cognizant of the many risk factors, including increased speed, that significantly increase the probability of death or injury.
By recognizing Global Road Safety Week and the 2nd Decade of Action for Road Safety, together we can make a difference in stemming the tide of the road crash epidemic in the United States and around the world. Ultimately, we should do everything in our power to protect the lives of all road users, and I hope to work with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to do that.
____________________
SOURCE: Congressional Record Vol. 167, No. 85
The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
House Representatives' salaries are historically higher than the median US income.
Alerts Sign-up