{"id":32220,"date":"2025-07-19T14:45:02","date_gmt":"2025-07-19T14:45:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pulse-z.eu\/walk-bike-survive-why-the-who-says-its-time-to-rethink-our-streets\/"},"modified":"2025-07-23T07:45:57","modified_gmt":"2025-07-23T07:45:57","slug":"gehen-rad-fahren-uberleben-warum-die-who-sagt-es-ist-zeit-unsere-strasen-zu-uberdenken","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pulse-z.eu\/de\/gehen-rad-fahren-uberleben-warum-die-who-sagt-es-ist-zeit-unsere-strasen-zu-uberdenken\/","title":{"rendered":"Gehen, Rad fahren, \u00fcberleben: Warum die WHO sagt, es ist Zeit, unsere Stra\u00dfen zu \u00fcberdenken"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

A Global Crisis on Two Feet (or Two Wheels)<\/b><\/h3>\n

Walking and cycling are the backbone of sustainable cities. Yet around the world, they\u2019re still treated like an afterthought. According to the World Health Organization<\/a> (WHO), nearly 1.2 million people die on roads each year \u2014 and one in four of them is a pedestrian or cyclist. Shockingly, only 0.2% of global roads have proper bike lanes. Basic infrastructure like sidewalks or pedestrian crossings remains rare in many cities.<\/span><\/p>\n

This isn\u2019t just a numbers game. These are real people \u2014 many of them young \u2014 who left home and never returned.<\/span><\/p>\n

The problem is global, but it doesn’t look the same everywhere. Data from 2011-2021 show a sharp increase in pedestrian deaths in Southeast Asia – up 42 percent.<\/p>\n

In Europe, deaths among cyclists increased by half, and in the Western Pacific region, they nearly doubled, rising as much as 88 percent. These aren’t just numbers – they’re stories of people who just got out of the house.<\/p>\n

For many, walking or biking is not a lifestyle choice, but the only option \u2014 often in cities built to prioritize cars, not people.<\/p>\n

WHO\u2019s New Toolkit: A Game Changer?<\/b><\/h3>\n

Walking and biking are good for your health, your wallet, and the planet. They reduce air pollution, cut carbon emissions, and promote mental and physical wellbeing. But according to WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, they must first become safe.<\/span><\/p>\n

The challenge? Too few countries are doing enough. Fewer than one-third of governments actively promote walking or cycling. What\u2019s missing is a clear, integrated approach \u2014 one that connects public health, urban planning, transportation, and climate goals.<\/span><\/p>\n

To help cities and governments turn things around, the WHO has just released a <\/span>comprehensive toolkit<\/span><\/a> for promoting safe and inclusive active mobility. The guide focuses on five key pillars:<\/span><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Cross-Sector Collaboration<\/b>: Walking and cycling need to be included in transport, health, environment, and education strategies. Real impact requires joined-up thinking.<\/li>\n
  2. Infrastructure That Saves Lives<\/b>: Sidewalks, protected bike lanes, and safe crossings aren\u2019t luxuries \u2014 they\u2019re life-saving necessities.<\/li>\n
  3. Laws That Protect People<\/b>: Cities should adopt and enforce speed limits and urban planning rules that prioritize people over cars.<\/li>\n
  4. Smart Public Campaigns<\/b>: Awareness matters. WHO encourages campaigns that show how walking and cycling can improve both personal health and the planet.<\/li>\n
  5. Financial Incentives<\/b>: Governments should support low-income and rural communities by funding access to bikes or improving walking conditions in underserved areas.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    A Global Movement for Safer Streets <\/p>\n

    During the 8th UN Global Road Safety Week, WHO joined forces with over 400 organisations from 100 countries through the Global Alliance of NGOs for Road Safety. The goal: urgently reimagine urban mobility.<\/span><\/p>\n

    As Etienne Krug, WHO\u2019s Director of Social Determinants of Health, <\/span>put it<\/span><\/a>:<\/span><\/p>\n

    \n

    \u201cIt\u2019s time to make the most natural form of transport \u2014 walking \u2014 safer for everyone.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

    That means getting multiple sectors involved \u2014 from transport to education \u2014 to make active travel a realistic and safe choice for all.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Cities Built for People, Not Just Cars <\/p>\n

    Investing in walking and cycling means cleaner air, lower emissions, and better public health. But it goes beyond that. Car-free zones and safer bike routes can revitalize public spaces, boost community life, and improve urban well-being overall.<\/span><\/p>\n

    These changes aren\u2019t just about moving differently \u2014 they\u2019re about living better.<\/span><\/p>\n

    From Words to Action<\/b><\/h3>\n

    The WHO\u2019s toolkit isn\u2019t just a document. It\u2019s a wake-up call. If walking and cycling remain dangerous, they\u2019ll stay a privilege of the brave \u2014 or the desperate. But they should be the easiest and safest ways to get around.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Governments now have the tools. The real question is: will they use them before more lives are lost?<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    A Global Crisis on Two Feet (or Two Wheels) Walking and cycling are the backbone of sustainable cities. Yet around the world, they\u2019re still treated like an afterthought. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":158,"featured_media":28356,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[703],"tags":[4684,3492,4685,4686,4687,4688,4689,4690,4691,4692,4693,4694,4695],"post_formats":[645],"coauthors":[3870],"class_list":["post-32220","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-jugend","tag-active-transport-de","tag-climate-action-de","tag-cycling-de","tag-eu-cities-de","tag-green-future-de","tag-public-health-de","tag-road-safety-de","tag-smart-cities-de","tag-sustainable-cities-de","tag-urban-mobility-de","tag-walking-de","tag-who-de","tag-youth-safety-de","post_formats-artikel"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pulse-z.eu\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32220","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pulse-z.eu\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pulse-z.eu\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pulse-z.eu\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/158"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pulse-z.eu\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=32220"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.pulse-z.eu\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32220\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":32222,"href":"https:\/\/www.pulse-z.eu\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32220\/revisions\/32222"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pulse-z.eu\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/28356"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pulse-z.eu\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=32220"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pulse-z.eu\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=32220"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pulse-z.eu\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=32220"},{"taxonomy":"post_formats","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pulse-z.eu\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/post_formats?post=32220"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pulse-z.eu\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=32220"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}