CHISINAU, May 26, 2010 – The World Bank gathered key players today to discuss efforts to improve road safety in Moldova through better policing. With five hundred people killed per year on Moldovan roads and over three and a half thousand injured, road safety is considered an important priority for the World Bank and the Government of Moldova.
Modern and safe roads are critical to improving business activity, connecting citizens to services, schools and hospitals and making Moldovan goods more competitive on foreign markets. Poor roads translate into high traffic fatalities, increased maintenance costs for vehicle owners and lost business opportunities for the private sector.
The conference follows the launch of a training program to address road safety through better policing. The World Bank’s training program on road safety brings experts from the UK and Georgia to advise Moldovan counterparts on road safety reform and enforcement. The program is funded by the World Bank, with support from the UK’s Eastern Alliance for Safe and Sustainable Transport.
"Road accidents are a leading cause of fatalities in Moldova", said Melanie Marlett, World Bank Country Manager in Moldova."The country needs modern and safe roads to connect people to schools, hospitals and build a thriving business environment."
The joint donor roads mission comprising the World Bank, European Investment Bank, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the European Commission and the Millennium Challenge Corporation is visiting Moldova this week to monitor the implementation of the Government’s Roads Sector Program. The development partners discussed ways to enhance Moldova’s infrastructure and looked at road investment options.
Moldova is a signatory to the March 2010 United Nations Resolution calling for a Decade of Action on Road Safety and a "Make Roads Safe" Campaign is on track to raise awareness of road safety measures such as wearing seat belts and helmets, using child car seats and not speeding or drink-driving.
