The FIA and Global Road Safety

Today at the Federation Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) Centenary Gala dinner at the Louvre in Paris more than 800 guests from the world of motoring and motorsport come together to celebrate 100 years of motoring and motor sport achievement. The FIA has taken this occasion not only to celebrate the past but to also look to the future. The vision that inspired the creativity of the FIA’s founding members, still drives forward the FIA today. It is an organisation that continues to innovate, and to evolve.

In 2001 the FIA created a unique international foundation to carry forward the mission of promoting road safety, the environment, mobility and motor sport safety. Endowed with $300 million the FIA Foundation has been established as a charity in the UK and has quickly been recognised as an important contributor to motor sport safety and to a world in which freedom of mobility can be safer, cleaner and more affordable.

From its headquarters in central London, the FIA Foundation in just three years has already achieved substantial results. The major priority has been to highlight the importance of road safety worldwide. Today over a million people are killed each year on the road. The majority of these fatalities occur in the developing world. And as the use of motor vehicles in these countries continues to rise, the numbers of deaths and injuries will accelerate still further. But today we already know how to prevent many of these fatalities. Experience here in Europe has shown that it is possible to make our roads much safer. The challenge now is to share this experience worldwide.

Wearing seat belts, for example, is the simplest and most effective way to prevent death and serious injury. In Europe over 7,000 lives each year would be saved if we all wore our seat belts. The Foundation is working around the world to promote the message to buckle up. In Costa Rica it has supported a seat belt campaign lead by the national automobile club and the Costa Rican government. This campaign has lead to a new seat belt law, higher wearing rates and fewer deaths.

This year the FIA Foundation has successfully lobbied the United Nations to take up the issue of road safety. A unique debate was held in the UN General Assembly in April, where for the first time ever nations from around the world agreed on a strategy to promote road safety. The Foundation also supported this year’s World Health Day dedicated to road safety. President Chirac of France hosted the launch event in Paris. And Michael Schumacher supported the signing of the European Road Safety Charter in Dublin. Today the international community is recognising the importance of road safety.

Safety in motor sport remains a passionate commitment of the FIA Foundation. Motor racing will always be dangerous. But over recent decades the FIA has shown that regulation and research can minimise the risks. In support of this work the Foundation has dedicated around half of its grant support to a wide range of motor sport safety projects. Such as development of wheel tethers (to prevent flying wheels), debris fence design, aerodynamic stability of sports cars to prevent cars from flying as occurred at Le Mans some years ago, and further development of the Hans system.

But in this centenary year the FIA, and the FIA Foundation, have decided together to take a new initiative. To create a centre for excellence in research, training and education in motor sport safety. This week will mark the inauguration of the new FIA Institute for Motor Sport Safety.

An independent research centre, based in Paris at the Place de la Concorde, which will bring together all the expertise in motor sport safety that exists within the FIA, its ASNs, and the wider automotive and motor sport world. Professor Sid Watkins will be the first President of the new Institute.

100 years ago the founders of the FIA took some bold steps. 100 years later, the FIA is again demonstrating that commitment to progress and action, creating a Foundation and an Institute with roles and resources that will help to make motoring and motor sport as safe as possible.