The 21st anniversary edition of the Transforming Transportation conference was held at World Bank Headquarters in Washington, D.C. on March 19-20, 2024. The theme of the conference, which is co-hosted by the World Resources Institute (WRI), was Mobilizing Finance for Climate Action. GRSF was actively engaged in the event in a variety of ways, ensuring that road safety was high on the conference’s agenda.

Session: Unlocking Gains from Investing in Road Safety

Road crashes claim around 1.19 million lives each year. Compounding this human tragedy, road crashes also result in significant economic losses and impose a substantial health burden due to severe injuries. The economic, health, and climate benefits of investing in safer roads—such as through boosting enforcement, implementing traffic calming measures, and lowering speed limits—far outweigh the costs. Despite this, countries and cities face complex challenges in financing sustainable and systematic road safety solutions.

This break-out session, co-hosted by GRSF and WRI, examined the multifaceted and long-term impacts of poor road safety and explored how investing in inclusive and safe mobility can achieve positive health, climate, and economic outcomes. Speakers also discussed strategies to catalyze road safety financing in a crowded global development landscape.

Moderator:

• Claudia Adriazola-Stiel, Director, Health & Road Safety, WRI Ross Center For Sustainable Cities

Keynote address:

• Kaarina Ruta, Transport Advisor, Welsh Local Government Association

Panelists:

• Avi Silverman, Deputy Director, FIA Foundation
• Benacar Boulaajoul, Director General, National Road Safety Agency, Morocco
• Charlotte McClain-Nhlapo, Lead Social Development Specialist and Global Disability Advisor, The World Bank
• Najwa Doughman, Program Manager, Global Designing Cities Initiative
• Jacob Smith, Regional Leader, Global Youth Coalition for Road Safety

To directly engage with the more than 1,000 in-person attendees, GRSF hosted a road safety knowledge booth at the landmark transportation conference, which provided participants with the opportunity to learn more about evidence-based interventions to address the road safety crisis. This year, the booth featured alcohol-impairment goggles and an obstacle course, allowing participants to simulate the experience of drunk driving. The booth also featured information and videos about what can be learned from crash tests.