Today marks the 11^th anniversary of Global Youth Traffic Safety Month (GYTSM), an annual campaign  formed by National Organizations for Youth Safety (NOYS) and sponsored by Bentley Systems, the infrastructure engineering software company, in support of the United Nations Decade of Action for Road Safety. According to the World Health Organization, road traffic injuries have been a leading cause of death and disability among ages 5 to 29 for over a decade. Each day, 1,000 young people die on our world’s roads. Unfortunately, deaths and serious injuries will continue without actively engaging and working with young people to develop safe and sustainable mobility systems.

The campaign unites young people, with a focus on those who are marginalized across the United States, to join a global movement as key stakeholders in reducing road traffic deaths and injuries by 50% by 2030. As part of the campaign, they will be called upon to engage with their local decision makers to advocate for a more safe and sustainable transportation system for all road users (pedestrians, transit users, cyclists, and drivers).

Jacob Smith, Executive Director of NOYS, said, “Vehicle-dominated environments and lack of people-centered infrastructure have resulted in our youth suffering from multiple health crises. Global Youth Traffic Safety Month harnesses the power of young people to transform our transportation system. I know that young people are incredible living experts of our evolving transportation system.”

NOYS has partnered with the campaign sponsor Bentley Systems to develop a national advocacy action guide for young people across the United States to be equipped to address mobility safety in their communities. In recognition of GYTSM Month, 10 youth leaders will be named National Mobility Safety Champions by NOYS for their outstanding contributions to advocating for safe and sustainable mobility systems.

Zeljko Djuretic, head of Education with Bentley Systems, said, “We are so honored to be partnering with NOYS and supporting this campaign to raise awareness about road safety. Through our work, we know that one way to do this is through solutions that support predictive transportation technology, helping engineers design safe and sustainable mobility systems. Our young people’s voices are powerful, and it’s incredible that NOYS is empowering our youth to raise their voices and involve them in the decision-making process to address mobility safety in their communities.” 

To learn more about National Organizations for Youth Safety Global Youth Traffic Safety activities, please visit noys.org or their social media channels for the latest news.

Demetria Brooks, 903-372-5196, info@noys.org

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