Geneva, Switzerland, the International Road Federation (IRF) announces its support for Australian infrastructure firm Global Road Technology’s (GRT) Road Safety Initiative and officially invites GRT to its prestigious IRF Conference on January 15th and 16th.

IRF Chairman, Kiran K. Kapila personally invited GRT to attend and guest speak at the International Road Federation event. The conference, held at the India International Centre in New Delhi, will focus on the status of road safety and safe mobility initiatives in India. The event takes on extra significance as the mid-point in the UN Decade of Action for Road Safety.

In 2010 the United Nations General Assembly voted unanimously to adopt Resolution vide A/RES/64/255 for the 10 year programme on road safety. Road traffic incidents have reached an all time high, currently the 8th leading cause of death globally and the leading cause of death for 15 to 29 year olds. With absence of significant action it is predicted that road traffic deaths will become the world’s fifth biggest killer by 2030. With over 1.2 million fatalities each year, and an estimated 50 million injuries, the UN and IRF are addressing the matter with the highest urgency, envisaging a 50% reduction of loses by 2020.

Participating organisations include local, state and sovereign governments, contractors, concessionaires or consulting firms, associations, public and government organisations, educational and research institutions, and leading associations. Each showing thought leadership in the face of this growing global problem. GRT has been chosen for its excellence in the road safety field, epitomised by the GRT Road Safety Initiative.

GRT, alongside with the state government of India’s most populous state, Uttar Pradesh, and the World Bank, last year launched a road-safety Initiative to combat the growing road toll in the country and as a part of GRT’s corporate responsibility platform. Their goal is to help improve road safety is some of the most remote and disadvantaged areas of the world, where fatality rates are highest. GRT soil stabilization and dust control products have been helping to reduce traffic injuries and fatalities due to poor infrastructure for years, and now they want to expand their efforts beyond the direct areas in which they work.

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The GRT Road Safety Initiative comprises of a three-step campaign highlighting road safety for pedestrians, cyclists and motorists. The Survive the Walk campaign focuses on the protection of children on their way to and from school, distributing high visibility school bags. Survive the Ride promotes the protection of cyclists in remote areas providing helmets and safety education. Whilst Survive the Drive consists of promoting baby and booster seats, and other appliances designed to help reduce child fatalities due to traffic incidents.

GRT are delighted by the invitation to the International Road Federation. “This is an enormous achievement and opportunity for our company to be invited to join such an esteemed association and will place the GRT Road Safety Initiative on the world stage” stated Ben Skinner, Director at GRT. The Queensland based firm continues to stand out for its corporate responsibility.

For more information regarding the International Road Federation or Global Road Technology Contact Us.