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Road Safety for Young People in the Decade of Action. Floor Lieshout Chief Executive | YOURS – Youth for Road Safety. Agenda. Importance to focus on young people About young people Why youth participation Levels of youth participation What do young people bring to the table Closing.
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Road Safety for Young People in the Decade of Action Floor Lieshout ChiefExecutive | YOURS – Youth for Road Safety
Agenda • Importance to focus on young people • About young people • Why youth participation • Levels of youth participation • What do young people bring to the table • Closing
Facts • Worldwide, road crashes are the leading cause of death among 10-24 year olds • Every day more than 1000 young people die on the world´s roads • Thousands more are injured
Time for action • WHO predicts: unlessmore comprehensive global action is taken, the number of deaths and injuries is likely to rise significantly • Youth are the future of tomorrow • Tony Blair: “It is right that we recognize the particular vulnerability of the young on our roads, because we all have a duty of care to keep our children and young people safe “.
Young road user problem • There are no problem young road users, there is a young road users problem • It is the system that makes young people the main victims, for example: • No proper driver training • Bad infrastructure • No or limited traffic laws and enforcement • No or limited access to safe vehicles or helmets • Limited awareness and education programs
Aboutyoungpeople and theirchallenges • Brain development: between 20-25 yrs • Prefrontal cortex: • Impulse control • Judgment • Decision-making • Reasoning
Aboutyoungpeople and theirchallenges • Social emotional system of the brain between 14-15 yrs • Social stimuli • Rewards • Emotion wins from self-control • Today I see an advert, tomorrow I buy it
Aboutyoungpeople and theirchallenges • Young people are more sensitive for social / group pressure / peer influence • Some young people will take higher risks (negative and positive) than adults in search for a ´kick´ • Young males are higher at risk than young females
Aboutyoungpeople and theirchallenges • Inexperience among adolescents and young adults makes them less safe when driving a car or a motorcycle than older drivers • Overestimation of their own skills • Environment often not adjusted for their needs • Setting speed limits • Safe playgrounds • Safe school areas
Aboutyoungpeople and theirchallenges • Youth culture and life style: • Cars/motorbikes are important • Going out at night and weekends
We are in thistogether, young and old (er) (International) Governmental Organizations Civil Society Private Sector Researchers Non- Governmental Organizations
Youth wants to playtheirrole • Young people has and wants to playtheir part in the solution: • UN Youth Declaration on Road Safety
Whyyouth engagement? • Encourage to reach out to young people and increase youth participation: • Youth have a right to participate in decisions that affects them • Next generation of stakeholders • Development of skills • Approachyouth as part of the solution, notjust as focus of the problem
Ladder of youthparticipation 8) Young people & adults share decision-making 7)Young people lead & initiate action 6) Adult- initiated, shared decisions with young people 5) Young people consulted and informed 4) Young people assigned but informed 3) Young people tokenized 2) Young people are decoration 1) Young people are manipulated R. Hart (1992) – Florence, UNICEF Innocenti Research Centre
Whatbringsyouth to the table? • Invitation to use our: • Boundless energy and motivation • Determination: the will to make a change • Skills in the new ´social media´ • Abilities for peer education • Capacities as advocates • Expertise of our own youth culture
Role of youth in the coming Decade of Action • YOURS will continue to… • mobilize the youth world wide • support the youth on their road safety efforts • further develop the skills of young people • advocate for the needs of young people
Summary • Road trafficinjuries are the leading killer of youngpeople; • No PROBLEM young road usersbut a young road user problem; • Young people and theirchallengers • Importance of youth engagement • Ladder of Youthparticipation • Role of youngpeople in the Decade of Action
Contactweb: www.youthforroadsafety.orgemail: floor@youthforroadsafety.orgFindusbysearchingYouth for Road Safety on: