Event

Road traffic injuries continue to claim more than one million lives every year and remain one of the world's most pressing public health and development challenges. In July 2026, world leaders, ministers, researchers, civil society organisations and industry representatives gathered at the United Nations Headquarters in New York for the UN High-Level Meeting on Improving Global Road Safety. The meeting marked a critical midpoint in the Decade of Action for Road Safety 2021–2030 and focused on accelerating progress towards the global target of halving road traffic deaths and serious injuries by 2030.

In this seminar, Matts-Åke Belin, one of the world's leading road safety experts and a key representative of Sweden in international road safety policy, shares his reflections and key takeaways from the meeting. Drawing on discussions among policymakers, funding organisations, researchers and international stakeholders, he will provide insights into emerging priorities, future directions for road safety, and the role of evidence-based interventions in achieving global ambitions.

The seminar will explore questions such as: Where is the international road safety agenda heading? What new expectations are being placed on research and innovation? How are discussions around financing, implementation capacity and cross-sector collaboration evolving? And what implications do these developments have for the SAFER community and the broader road safety research ecosystem?

The session offers a unique opportunity to gain first-hand insights from one of the most influential global road safety forums and to discuss how research can contribute to shaping the next phase of international road safety action.

Matts-Åke Belin is one of Sweden's most internationally recognised road safety experts. He serves as Road Safety Strategy Lead at the Swedish Transport Administration and is Chair of the Academic Expert Group of the United Nations Road Safety Fund (UNRSF). Over the past decades, he has played a central role in the development and international dissemination of Vision Zero and has been actively involved in global road safety policy through collaborations with the United Nations, the World Health Organization and the World Bank. His work focuses on translating research and evidence into effective policies and large-scale implementation strategies that save lives worldwide.

Practical Information

This seminar is held both at the SAFER office, Lindholmen Innovation District, building Kuggen, Lindholmsplatsen 1 or online (Teams).

• In-person attendance: Lunch will be provided at the SAFER office, starting at 11:30 AM. The seminar will then be held in a hybrid format from 12:00 to 12:45 PM. Registration is required for lunch. Please register for lunch by 12:00 PM September 18.
• Online attendance: No registration is needed. Simply join via the Microsoft Teams link sent to all SAFER partners ahead of the event. The seminar is held in a hybrid format from 12:00 to 12:45 PM.

Questions?: Get in touch with our office manager Sophia Guerra Ekesand: ekesand@chalmers.se

This event is open to all SAFER partners. Welcome!