“Rethinking Mobility” to promote a safer mobility in Uruguay

Within the framework of the Global Road Safety Week, declared by the United Nations, the Gonzalo Rodriguez Foundation (FGR) in coordination with PAHO/WHO representation in Uruguay and the support of CITA and the National Road Safety Unit (UNASEV), organized the meeting “Re-pensar la Movilidad” (Rethinking mobility), to work towards an active and safety mobility in Uruguay.

The event was attended by traffic authorities and mobility from the local governments, as well as representatives from the National Road Safety Board, Congress of Mayors, and agents directly linked to the subject.

The event featured a presentation by representatives of the Ministry of Health, UNASEV’s President, Esc. Alejandro Draper; the President of the Gonzalo Rodríguez Foundation, Mrs. Maria Fernanda Rodriguez; on behalf of PAHO/WHO, Dr. Wilson Benia; and Marcelo Martínez representing CITA’s organization.

These recommendations are based on the implementation of the new Road Safety Paradigm: safe systems that promote safer roads, safer users, safer vehicles, safer speeds, and better emergency response at the time of accidents. Increasing control, slowing down, and developing the decision makers capacities; are some of the key elements to fulfill the requirements and achieve the objectives.

On behalf of CITA’s organization, Marcelo Martinez stated “At CITA we are actively carrying out programs and policies so as vehicles to be safe. The recommendations of the Global Plan indicate the possibility of establishing mechanisms for the periodic evaluation of vehicles to guarantee that all vehicles comply with the relevant basic safety standards. In Uruguay, applying a mandatory periodic technical review could save almost 200 lives and prevent more than 10,000 injuries per year.”