Road traffic deaths in the Americas remain unacceptably high, and current trends indicate the Region will not meet the 2030 target of reducing fatalities by 50%. While deaths among pedestrians and car occupants have declined, motorcycle mortality has surged—rates increased 68% and deaths 141% between 1990 and 2021—showing that motorcyclist safety has worsened despite two decades of investment.

This project—proposed by Argentina, Belize, Colombia, Mexico, and Paraguay—responds to this urgent need. PAHO/WHO has long-standing technical cooperation with these countries, and motorcyclist safety has emerged as a shared priority. Using GRSSR data and findings from three PAHO/WHO regional workshops, countries jointly identified key legislative gaps and prioritized evidence-based measures required to strengthen legal frameworks for motorcycle safety.

The project will promote the adoption of seven priority Safe System measures, focusing on road safety management (improved vehicle registration, data quality, and intersectoral coordination), safer vehicles (mandatory ABS, ESC, and DRL), safer road use (comprehensive helmet and protective gear laws, mandatory helmet sales with motorcycles, passenger and age restrictions), post-crash response (mandatory third-party liability insurance), and sustainable mobility (incentives to shift away from motorcycle reliance). Additional measures may be integrated based on country needs.

Implementation will begin with stakeholder mapping in each country and the creation of national impact teams responsible for developing detailed roadmaps. Each country will produce a legislative proposal based on gap analysis and legal review, followed by advocacy activities such as national consultations, journalist training, and communication campaigns to build support and ownership.

The project leverages strong synergies with ongoing global, regional, and national initiatives. It will benefit from the WHO global advisory group on motorcycle safety, the Global Network of Heads of Road Safety Agencies, and collaboration with partners of the Bloomberg Initiative for Global Road Safety. Regionally, it will align with PISV-OISEVI, the Road Safety Parliamentary Network for the Americas, and existing UNRSF projects in emergency care. Additional opportunities for collaboration with the World Bank, IADB, CAF, and UNECE will be actively pursued.

Two regional workshops will guide technical development: the first on specifications for legislative measures, and the second on factors influencing successful adoption and enforcement, enabling countries to share knowledge and lessons learned. Nationally, the project will build on PAHO/WHO Country Cooperation Strategies and existing technical cooperation.

Through this coordinated, multi-country effort, the project aims to create sustainable improvements in motorcycle safety, strengthen national legal systems, and generate lessons that can be replicated across the Region and beyond.