Leader of the Independent Team of Ministers and Minister for International and Road Transport, Logistics, Rails and Ports, Seán Canney TD, attended the International Transport Forum (ITF) Summit in Leipzig last week, where global leaders and transport experts gathered to confront the growing crisis of road safety. During Thursday’s session, Ministers adopted the Policy on Recommendations on Comprehensive Road Safety and the Policy on Recommendation Concerning the Use of Artificial Intelligence by Transport Authorities.

Speaking after the forum, Minister Canney highlighted the devastating toll of road traffic incidents, noting that nearly 1.2 million people lose their lives globally every year in road crashes, with tens of millions more injured.

“This is a silent pandemic that continues to devastate families and communities worldwide,” Minister Canney said. “Every one of these deaths is a tragedy — and many are preventable.”

The policies adopted by Ministers today outlined a comprehensive set of actions that governments and industry should take to improve road safety globally. Minister Canney said a number of these should be prioritised in Ireland including:

Prioritise safety in the design of roads.
Prioritise safety in the design of vehicles.
Implement effective safe speed management policies.
Invest in public education and awareness campaigns to support safer behaviour on roads.
Accelerate the deployment of vehicle safety technologies that can help reduce fatalities and injuries.
Encourage the private sector to incorporate road safety into corporate social responsibility strategies.

Minister Canney reaffirmed Ireland’s strong commitment to international cooperation in advancing road safety and called for a global shift toward proactive, inclusive planning.

“Road safety requires leadership, collaboration and a relentless focus on prevention,” he concluded.