Global automotive industry presents UN Special Envoy with plan to advance global vehicle safety

At a press conference at the Automobile Club de France, OICA President Christian Peugeot presented Jean Todt, Special Envoy of the UN Secretary-General for Road Safety and President of the FIA, the consensus obtained from the manufacturers (OICA members) regarding the safety requirements to be promoted by the authorities of each country.

The global automotive industry, represented by OICA, is committed to improving road safety worldwide.

OICA calls on governments around the world to place all players in the automotive sector on an equal footing by setting mandatory minimum vehicle safety requirements for all new vehicles sold on their territory. Experience in developed markets has shown that safety legislation upholds the principles of free and open competition for the benefit of all road users.

OICA will put its expertise at the service of the States and is committed to convincing and assisting various countries to implement in their legislation the minimum safety requirements defined.

However, OICA warns that focusing only on the specifications of new vehicles is not enough, and recalls the need to accelerate renewal of the fleet which is often very old in emerging countries. In addition, it is also essential to consider sometimes very specific local conditions in terms of road infrastructure, fleet maintenance, the behaviour of road users and traffic.

Christian Peugeot recalls that “It is essential to take advantage of the experience gained in developed countries, where such an integrated approach involving all factors has resulted in unprecedented levels of road safety despite a high concentration of traffic. Manufacturers have worked for decades to advance the safety of their vehicles and the results are convincing. These advances must serve the greatest number for the good of all “

Jean Todt said: “I am pleased to see that, for the first time, the automotive industry agrees that a minimum number of safety equipment should be available in all countries.” The OICA Manifesto is an important step forward. I urge manufacturers to go further by anticipating as much as possible the implementation of these legislative obligations. The International Conference to be held in Stockholm next February will provide them with an excellent opportunity to demonstrate this commitment. I hope this rendezvous will mark a decisive step in favour of road safety “.

Every year, more than 1.3 million people die in the world and up to 50 million others are injured in road accidents.

Low- and middle-income countries account for 93 per cent of deaths, while the same countries account for only 54 per cent of the global vehicle fleet.

Half of road deaths affect the most vulnerable users such as pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists. According to the World Health Organization data released in July 2017, global road unsafety is the leading cause of death in low- and middle-income countries and is the leading cause of death among young people 5 to 29 years old. Moreover, it is very expensive for the economy, and includes almost 3% of the countries’ GDP.

The OICA manifesto and the list of minimum requirements for car safety are available under the following link: www.oica.net

About OICA:

The world association OICA was founded in 1919 and celebrated its centenary in February 2019 under the patronage and in the presence of Mr. Emmanuel Macron, President of the French Republic.
It brings together 38 national professional associations from around the world, including all major car producing countries in Europe, America, Africa and Asia. OICA is the only non-governmental organization of car and truck and bus manufacturers, accredited to the United Nations, which represents their technical interests to international institutions and organizations. OICA coordinates global harmonization of vehicle regulations.
OICA’s activities contribute to the worldwide deployment of technologies and know-how, in the interest of all countries. Member countries are strongly committed to improving road safety, protecting the environment and globally harmonizing technical regulations and standards. OICA also collects and publishes international statistics and coordinates the annual calendar of motor shows around the world.

For more information:  www.oica.net
Yves van der Straaten, Secretary General, + 33 (0)1 43 59 00 13, yvanderstraaten@oica.net

Press contact CCFA:
Laure de Servigny – l.deservigny@ccfa.fr – +33 6 70 18 88 75

Download OICA press release
Download OICA press release in French version
Download OICA Manifesto on global road safety