Monday, September 29, 2014
Bloomberg Funds Road Safety in World Cities
The World Health Organization estimates that traffic incidents will be linked to 1.4 million deaths in 2015. More than 90% of traffic fatalities occur in low- and middle-income countries, where traffic laws haven't kept up with the growing number of vehicles clogging roads, the agency said. As many as 50 million people a year globally suffer road-related injuries.
Bloomberg Philanthropies, which funds programs to address other global public health concerns such as tobacco use, has given $125 million since 2010 to promote tougher drunken-driving laws, train traffic police, improve seat-belt use and other interventions in 10 countries that represent half of the globe's annual traffic deaths.
Now, with its second round of funding, it plans to focus on addressing those problems in urban areas, many of which are growing rapidly as young people flock to big cities to find work. Bloomberg Philanthropies said it would invite 20 cities with populations of more than two million to apply for grants; 10 will be chosen by next January....