Health and Road Safety
Working to improve quality of life and health in developing cities through sustainable transport and urban design

Our health and road safety practice works to improve quality of life in developing cities through sustainable transport and urban design. By focusing on the needs of people instead of vehicles, we transform cities and transport options to protect and embrace pedestrians, bicyclists and mass transport. 

We work from the local to international level to help cities redesign streets and public spaces, expand mobility options, and improve mass transit systems. We also conduct high quality research and provide policy recommendations. By replicating our approach to health and road safety in cities around the world and influencing policies at the national level, we can prevent traffic crashes, encourage active, healthy lifestyles, and reduce exposure to air pollution – leading to saved lives.

WRI Ross Center’s health and road safety work in cities in Brazil, Mexico, India, and Turkey is expected to save over 8,300 lives by 2019, foster 1.5 billion public transport trips, and reduce road traffic fatalities by as much as 50%.

Read more about Our Approach to Health and Road Safety

Health and Road Safety Facts

  1. Traffic fatalities are projected to become the fifth leading cause of death by 2030, already claiming 1.35 million lives each year.
  2. In Brazil, physical activity is expected to drop 34% by 2030, and 51% in China. Walking, bicycling and public spaces can help residents achieve the 150 minutes of weekly physical activity recommended by the World Health Organization.
  3. Poor outdoor air quality accounts for a massive 3.7 million premature deaths every year. Fostering cleaner forms of transport like walking and bicycling, improving fuel and vehicle technologies, and reducing private vehicle use can combat this trend.

Experts

staff

  • Merve Aki
    Urban Mobility Manager, WRI Turkey Sustainable Cities

  • Wei Li
    Urban Mobility Associate, WRI China Ross Center for Sustainable Cities

  • Ben Welle
    Acting Director, Urban Mobility, and Director, Integrated Transport & Innovation

  • Cynthia Blank
    Urban Mobility Intern, WRI Brasil Sustainable Cities

News

Publications

Health and Road Safety Projects

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