The second international conference on reducing burden of traffic accidents, Shiraz, Iran

oad crashes kill nearly 1.3 million people every year, and leave millions moreinjured or permanently disabled. Impaired driving, unsafe roads and other dangersshatter lives in a matter of seconds. The Decade can help thwart this needless loss of life. “I call on Member States, international agencies, civil society organizations, businesses and community leaders and people everywhere to ensure that the decade leadsto real improvements.” Mr. Ban Ki-moon, United Nations (UN) Secretary-General.1 According to the World Health Organization (WHO) report, mortality from traffic accidents have increased from almost 999,000 in 1990 to more than one million in 2002 and is projected to approach 2 million death annually by 2020.2 While only 40% of the world’s motor vehicles are owned by inhabitants of developing countries, 85% of total mortality of traffic accidents occur in these countries.3,4 This decade from 2011 to 2020 has been called as the “Decade of Action” for road safety by World Health Organization (WHO).5-7 This is an opportunity to have more intersectoral collaboration for this important goal both within and between countries. In concordance with the UN announcement of “Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011-2020”, and for promoting a collaborative action for reducing traffic accidents’ burden, Health Policy Research Centre, organized this international conference for second time.8