Road Safety for Young People in the Decade of Action Floor Lieshout Chief Executive | YOURS – Youth for Road Safety

2 Agenda Importance to focus on young people About young people Why youth participation Levels of youth participation What do young people bring to the table Closing

3 Facts Worldwide, road crashes are the leading cause of death among year olds Every day more than 1000 young people die on the world´s roads Thousands more are injured

4 Time for action WHO predicts: unless more comprehensive global action is taken, the number of deaths and injuries is likely to rise significantly Youth are the future of tomorrow Tony Blair: “It is right that we recognize the particular vulnerability of the young on our roads, because we all have a duty of care to keep our children and young people safe “.

5 Young road user problem There are no problem young road users, there is a young road users problem It is the system that makes young people the main victims, for example: No proper driver training Bad infrastructure No or limited traffic laws and enforcement No or limited access to safe vehicles or helmets Limited awareness and education programs

6 About young people and their challenges

7 Brain development: between yrs Prefrontal cortex: Impulse control Judgment Decision-making Reasoning

8 About young people and their challenges Social emotional system of the brain between yrs Social stimuli Rewards Emotion wins from self-control Today I see an advert, tomorrow I buy it

9 About young people and their challenges Young people are more sensitive for social / group pressure / peer influence Some young people will take higher risks (negative and positive) than adults in search for a ´kick´ Young males are higher at risk than young females

10 About young people and their challenges Inexperience among adolescents and young adults makes them less safe when driving a car or a motorcycle than older drivers Overestimation of their own skills Environment often not adjusted for their needs Setting speed limits Safe playgrounds Safe school areas

11 About young people and their challenges Youth culture and life style: Cars/motorbikes are important Going out at night and weekends

12 We are in this together, young and old (er) Civil Society (International) Governmental Organizations Private Sector Non- Governmental Organizations Researchers

13 Youth wants to play their role Young people has and wants to play their part in the solution: UN Youth Declaration on Road Safety

14 Why youth engagement? Encourage to reach out to young people and increase youth participation: Youth have a right to participate in decisions that affects them Next generation of stakeholders Development of skills Approach youth as part of the solution, not just as focus of the problem

15 Ladder of youth participation 1) Young people are manipulated 2) Young people are decoration 3) Young people tokenized 4) Young people assigned but informed 5) Young people consulted and informed 6) Adult- initiated, shared decisions with young people 7)Young people lead & initiate action 8) Young people & adults share decision-making R. Hart (1992) – Florence, UNICEF Innocenti Research Centre

16 What brings youth to the table? Invitation to use our: Boundless energy and motivation Determination: the will to make a change Skills in the new ´social media´ Abilities for peer education Capacities as advocates Expertise of our own youth culture

17 Role of youth in the coming Decade of Action YOURS will continue to… mobilize the youth world wide support the youth on their road safety efforts further develop the skills of young people advocate for the needs of young people

18 Summary Road traffic injuries are the leading killer of young people; No PROBLEM young road users but a young road user problem; Young people and their challengers Importance of youth engagement Ladder of Youth participation Role of young people in the Decade of Action

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