Diageo signs road safety partnership with UNITAR

Diageo and the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) have signed a two-year partnership to prevent and raise awareness of drink driving.

Diageo has partnered with UNITAR on a global anti-drink driving campaign

The ‘Road Safety Initiative for Cities’ will work to drive road safety awareness, with a particular focus on preventing drink driving starting from July 2016.

Diageo and UNITAR signed their agreement at the United Nations Headquarters in Geneva and will offer training in 15 countries across Africa, Asia, Latin and Central America, specialising in countries with the highest death rates in relation to road traffic accidents.

More than 1.2 million people are killed each year due to road traffic incidents, according to the groups.

Nikhil Seth, United Nations assistant secretary general and executive director of UNITAR, said: “I am looking forward to bring to fruition this new initiative between the United Nations and Diageo.

“Achieving the 2030 Development Agenda and its different goals will only be possible through innovative partnerships with the private sector such as this one, where different stakeholders join forces to reach specific beneficiaries and targets by sharing their respective expertise and resources, thereby achieving common objectives.

“I have no doubt we will indeed contribute together to reducing road safety fatalities and injuries at the global level. The time for action is now.”

More than 60 countries will be invited to take part in the initiative, with training offered to 6,000 participants.

Training will invlude government officials, young people and numerous “relevant” shareholders through workshops for government officials on both a national and local level, awareness road shows for young people and high-level conferences.

“We believe that single death caused by drinking and driving is one too many and can be prevented,” commented Ivan Menezes, chief executive, Diageo.

“We are encouraged that over the last few years, the number of alcohol related fatalities has fallen significantly in many countries.

“However, there is more to do and we are committed to playing our role in eradicating harm caused by drink driving.

“This new partnership with UNITAR is important as it will allow us to work together to deliver the global goal of halving road traffic deaths.”

Last week, a study showed alcohol to be a contributing factor in nearly 40% of road collisions in Ireland.