UL and WRI partner on two key projects to reduce road fatalities

Contact: Lakshmi Nair | lakshmi.nair@ul.com

Divya Kottadiel | dkottadiel@wri.org

BANGALORE - Today, UL (Underwriters Laboratories) and the World Resources Institute (WRI) announced a three-year partnership to promote road safety initiatives in Bangalore. Under the partnership, UL, a global safety science organization, will support WRI’s EMBARQ project implementing key initiatives to improve road safety on Indian roads, one that intends to have far-reaching effects on the city of Bangalore, as well as for the country.

Every year, traffic accidents claim over 1.2 million lives, and road fatalities are set to become the fifth-leading cause of death worldwide by 2030. India accounts for approximately 10 per cent of all fatalities worldwide. In 2013 alone, 130,000 deaths and 50,000 serious injuries were recorded in traffic-related accidents. By building safety into a city’s infrastructure design, and prioritising the needs of people on the roads, over vehicles, many of these injuries and fatalities can be avoided.

One of the initiatives of the UL and WRI partnership involves a popular, open-streets road-safety campaign pioneered by EMBARQ. The campaign now draws over 150,000 people to participate in car-free Sundays, where road safety is a key message. In addition, the campaign aims to promote non-motorised modes of transport in cities in order to reduce air pollution and encourage healthier lifestyles.

“We were involved in the launch of Raahgiri in Gurgaon in November 2013 and saw an overwhelming response, with over 10,000 people participating on the first day itself. Since then, the campaign has expanded to several cities with our support. Some cities have localised the name to their unique situations. Through our partnership with UL, we will develop a toolkit that will aid the implementation of this concept in other cities. Our experiences over the last year and a half will serve as a guide to civil society and local authorities toward promoting non-motorised transport modes and infrastructure in Indian cities,” said Amit Bhatt, strategy head – Urban Transport, EMBARQ/WRI.

The toolkit will be first piloted in Bangalore, and then used to scale the campaign nationally.

The second initiative under the partnership between UL and WRI involves engaging with the private sector in promoting road safety in cities. The programme recognises that businesses not only contribute significantly to the traffic congestion and movement in a city, but also have an economic impact that is often not quantified. By working closely with enterprises in developing and piloting a road safety programme that can be implemented with corporate support, the partnership hopes to make a positive impact on the awareness of corporate stakeholders. These would include employees, vendors and contractors, among others.

“The participation of private enterprise in road safety initiatives is an extremely positive step forward since this sector has a big stake both in traffic volumes as well as technologies that can help in road safety. At UL, we are committed toward road safety by increasing risk awareness. Through this new partnership we look forward to working very closely with corporate entities to help ensure higher safety standards on Indian roads,” said R.A.Venkitachalam, Vice President of Public Safety, UL.

Through these two projects, UL and WRI hope to reduce traffic injuries and fatalities, and make Indian cities safer, healthier, and economically productive.

#

About UL

UL is a premier global independent safety science company that has championed progress for more than 120 years. Its nearly 11,000 professionals are guided by the UL mission to promote safe working and living environments for all people. UL uses research and standards to continually advance and meet ever-evolving safety needs. We partner with businesses, manufacturers, trade associations and international regulatory authorities to bring solutions to a more complex global supply chain. For more information about our certification, testing, inspection, advisory and education services. www.ul.com

About World Resources Institute

World Resources Institute is a global research organisation that spans more than 50 countries, with offices in the United States, China, India, Brazil, and more. Our more than 450 experts and staff work closely with leaders to turn big ideas into action to sustain our natural resources—the foundation of economic opportunity and human well-being. www.wri.org

About EMBARQ

EMBARQ is a signature initiative of WRI with projects in Mexico, Brazil, Turkey, China, and India. EMBARQ’s approach to sustainable urban mobility is now offered by WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities, which works to improve life for millions of people worldwide. www.embarq.org