WHO Director-General's remarks at the WHA side event 'Safe and Affordable Helmets' – 21 May 2026

Excellencies, Honourable Ministers,

UN Special Envoy for Road Safety Jean Todt, my friend,

Safe helmets save lives. Every rider must have access to one.

Motorcycle riders make up nearly one third of the world's 1.2 million annual road deaths.

Young people families in low- and middle-income countries are the most affected.

Helmets can reduce the risk of death in a crash by up to six times - if they meet global safety standards.

And to be effective, they must be affordable. A helmet that exists but cannot be bought is not a solution.

Thanks to Jean's leadership as UN Special Envoy, we are seeing real progress, but gaps remain.

More governments must adopt global standards.

Manufacturers must scale production, reduce prices, and make helmets accessible to every rider, in every country, at every income level.

This is key to meeting the global goal of a 50% reduction in road deaths by 2030.

But helmets, while essential, are only one part of the solution.

The longer-term solution lies in giving people access to safer, cleaner, and more sustainable modes of transport.

Mass transit reduces road deaths not only because it is safer, but also because it reduces traffic.

Good public transport is a health policy, a climate policy, and an equity policy.

We must invest in transport systems built for people, not motor vehicles.

The High-Level Meeting on Road Safety this July gives us the opportunity to make concrete commitments.

I urge all Member States to participate at the highest level and to engage in the negotiation of a strong political declaration.

WHO remains committed to its role as lead agency in the United Nations system on road safety - supporting Member States on legislation, data collection and trauma care, and facilitating the United Nations Road Safety Collaboration.

Every government can act - by adopting global helmet standards, making safe helmets affordable, investing in mass transit, and showing up in July ready to lead.

Thank you all for your commitment to making our roads - and our world - healthier, safer and fairer for everyone.

I thank you.