The World Health Organization (WHO) has launched a new toolkit aimed at promoting safer walking and cycling, in an effort to address rising concerns over road safety and support sustainable urban mobility. According to WHO, nearly 1.2 million people die on the world’s roads each year, with more than a quarter of those fatalities involving pedestrians and cyclists.
Despite the well-documented health and environmental benefits of walking and cycling, safe infrastructure to support these activities remains scarce. Alarmingly, only 0.2% of global roads are equipped with cycle lanes, and many communities still lack sidewalks and safe pedestrian crossings.
“Walking and cycling improve health and make cities more sustainable. Every step and every ride help to cut congestion, air pollution and disease,” said WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. “But we must make walking and cycling safe, so more people choose these healthier, greener options.”
The newly released toolkit offers practical, evidence-based guidance for policymakers, urban planners, health advocates, and civil society organizations. It urges the integration of walking and cycling into national transport, health, environmental, and education policies. Recommendations include building protected cycle lanes, implementing safe pedestrian crossings, setting speed limits in line with global best practices, and promoting road safety through awareness campaigns and financial incentives.
Fewer than one-third of countries currently have national strategies to promote active mobility, reflecting a significant policy gap. The WHO hopes the toolkit will catalyze action and drive policy reform.
Although global pedestrian deaths slightly declined and cyclist fatalities remained steady from 2011 to 2021, regional trends are worrying. Cyclist deaths rose by 88% in the Western Pacific and 50% in Europe, while pedestrian deaths surged by 42% in South-East Asia.
Etienne Krug, Director of the WHO Department for the Social Determinants of Health, emphasized the urgency of the initiative. “It is urgent to make what should be our most natural means of transport safer. This is paramount for road safety, but also health, equity and climate,” he said.
WHO and its partners, including the Global Alliance of NGOs for Road Safety, are calling for urgent, cross-sector collaboration to protect vulnerable road users and foster healthier, more inclusive cities.
