Marrakech: Road safety must be a priority at local and international levels, argued participants at a panel discussion held in Marrakech on Sunday, as part of the 3rd World Youth Assembly for Road Safety. During the meeting, the young panelists discussed the most pressing challenges faced in their respective regions, and exchanged views on how road safety and sustainable mobility are applied on each continent, while highlighting innovative solutions and concrete actions taken by young people to face these challenges.
According to Agence Marocaine De Presse, intervenants also stressed the importance of organizing regional training sessions to raise awareness of road safety among a larger number of people, especially those who have never been involved in a road accident and tend to take less interest. Recalling that road safety is a vital, life-saving issue, the panelists noted that advocacy in this field, particularly through civil engineering and infrastructure improvements, is essential to reducing the numb
er of accidents.
The panel also looked at the various factors contributing to road accidents, including speeding, driving under the influence of alcohol, and reckless behavior, stressing the importance of other solutions such as the use of electric bikes and the development of bicycle lanes. The danger of electric scooters should not be overlooked, they warned, given that scooter accidents can be fatal.
The participants also called for consultation with the relevant local authorities to identify citizens’ priorities and transform these concerns into effective public policies, calling for respect and enforcement of existing laws and the reinforcement of post-accident care, in addition to the need for helmets. The young participants also argued that real political will is needed to improve monitoring and reinforce road safety measures, highlighting the importance of social media and awareness-raising platforms, which play a key role in making young people’s voices heard and alerting decision-makers to the urg
ent need for action.