The World Health Organization (WHO), along with its partners, convened more than 40 top representatives from 14 different nations to push forward the agenda of improving vehicle safety in Asia and globally.

Each year, road crashes claim the lives of nearly 1.2 million people around the world. Proper vehicle safety regulations are vital in addressing this public health issue. Yet, fewer than 20% of United Nations Member States have fully adopted the primary safety regulations established by the UN for vehicles.

In ASEAN countries, a large number of vehicles in use are outdated or lack adequate safety features due to ineffective control over imports and underdeveloped regulatory systems. This situation heightens the risk of injury or death in a region already burdened with high traffic accident fatality rates and a rapidly expanding number of vehicles.

"There are now over a billion motor vehicles on our roads globally, with that number expected to double by 2030. To save lives, it is essential for governments to pass legislation aligned with UN safety standards. Uniform rules on vehicle design and safety technologies are necessary to increase protection worldwide. This workshop helps support that goal by uniting key officials from critical regions to exchange experiences and foster collaboration," said Dr Fangfang Luo, WHO Technical Officer for Safety and Mobility.

The third ASEAN+China Road Safety Capacity Building Workshop took place in Shenzhen, China, from November 25 to 27. It served to further the goals outlined in the Marrakech Declaration on Global Road Safety, which was adopted by ministers from nearly 100 countries in February 2025.

The Marrakech Declaration encourages countries to strengthen national vehicle safety laws in accordance with UN standards, ensuring that all newly produced vehicles meet established safety requirements. This also extends to technologies that help prevent accidents and explores the role of automation in enhancing road safety.

The workshop focused on four key areas:

• essential safety equipment regulations and how they are put into practice

• standards and enforcement for technical vehicle inspections

• the implementation of the New Car Assessment Programme (NCAP) and related safety measures

• new vehicle technologies that offer promising benefits for road safety

A major topic was the role of emerging technologies, including intelligent infrastructure and AI-powered tools, in detecting and preventing road accidents in real time. By working to align vehicle safety laws with UN standards, WHO and its partners aim to ensure these innovations are effectively governed and widely adopted to create safer roads.

Participants developed a collaborative action plan, incorporating initiatives such as training on crash investigations—particularly those involving motorcycles—as well as joint educational efforts, evaluation of new safety systems in vehicles, and research into increasing the use of automated transport. A follow-up workshop is planned for the end of 2026 to assess progress and build upon the current outcomes.

The event was organized by WHO in collaboration with the UN Regional Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), the International Motor Vehicle Inspection Committee (CITA), Global NCAP, the China Automotive Technology and Research Centre (CATARC), and the Malaysian Institute for Road Safety Research (MIROS).