The Daily Tell

New York City has legendary taxi drivers, known for their traffic weaving and speeding; Mayor Bloomberg likely has a keen understanding of the plights of road accidents. It is fitting that the billionaire’s charitable giving organization, Bloomberg Philanthropies, recently made a $125 million donation to EMBARQ – The World Resource Institute Center for Sustainable Transport.

EMBARQ is a global network that catalyzes environmentally and financially sustainable transportation solutions to major cities around the world to promote road safety. It includes a network of Centers for Sustainable Transport based in Mexico, Brazil, India, Turkey and the Andean Region.

Jonathan Lash, president of the World Resources Institute, believes Bloomberg Philanthropies is the ideal global partner for EMBARQ in their efforts to assist the world’s most populated cities. "It is a significant milestone that Bloomberg recognizes the value of sustainable urban mobility in improving road safety and public health," he says.

The partnership programs will focus on integrating sustainable transport and reduced emissions in urban planning. Nancy Kete, director of EMBARQ, believes it is important to prevent accidents before they start; she emphasizes that seat belt and helmet laws, alone, are insufficient. "We’re tackling the problem at the root by considering all of the health and safety benefits associated with mass transit, cycling, walking, clean fuels and vehicles, and vibrant public spaces."

The Bloomberg donation is the largest single donation ever made for international transportation safety developments.

The World Health Organization reports that road accidents kill up to 1.2 million people a year, or 3,000 people a day. Road traffic injuries are predicted to be the fifth leading global cause of death within the next 20 years. Bloomberg’s five-year program will help reduce these trends by focusing on ten low-and middle-income countries that represent nearly half (48 percent) of traffic deaths globally.

"We look forward to collaborating with the other Bloomberg partners," said Claudia Adriazola, EMBARQ’s expert on road safety.