Road traffic crashes claim nearly 1.3 million lives every year and are the leading cause of death among children and young adults. This is why road safety is and has been a priority topic for PIARC for a very long time. The current Road Safety Committee of the Association is led by John Milton (USA) as Chair, Lucy Wickham (UK), Lise Fournier (Canada Quebec) and Roberto Llamas Rubio (Spain) as Secretaries. With their team of dozens of international experts mandated by PIARC member governments, they are currently addressing the following topics:

• Specific road safety issues for LMICs
• Implementation of proven countermeasures
• Update Road Safety Audit Guidelines
• Implications of connected and automated vehicles
• Update of the Road Safety Manual

They will complement the dozens of reports that are already available on topics as diverse as Implementation of National Safe System Policies, Global Road Safety Audit Guidelines, Road Safety Evaluations Based on Human Factors Method, Setting Credible Speed Limits, Vulnerable Road Users, etc.

Our Committee is also developing and updating our online Road Safety Manual (RSM), which has been recognised repeatedly in UN declarations. Our Manual, designed to help countries at every stage of infrastructure development to fulfil road safety objectives, is aligned with key pillars for the United Nations. This comprehensive resource builds on the broad range of knowledge and experience provided by PIARC and includes new thinking on road safety. The Manual also offers a clear argument on why adopting a Safe System approach is crucial for every country.

As usual, PIARC shares this work freely with the road community. PIARC is proud to be a member of the United Nations Road Safety Collaboration (UNRSC). The UNRSC is a great opportunity to present and share our work, to engage with like-minded peers, and to contribute to achieving the objectives of the second Decade of Action for road safety.