The Moscow and Brasilia declarations on road safety – A parallel between two moments in health

Abstract

Two high-level multisectoral global conferences on road traffic safety (Moscow, 2009 and Brasilia, 2015), held under the auspices of the United Nations, adopted formal declarations on both occasions. Given the potential of these documents to establish positions, propose guidelines, policies and legal frameworks, this paper compares these charters, in order to identify the emphases, expectations and horizons indicated at each moment, highlighting their health-related items. We describe the WHO’s involvement with road safety, considering the ways this relationship signaled the health sector’s connection with the theme. We present both conferences and their respective declarations, comparing health issues addressed. We conclude that Brasilia reinforces Moscow and, in addition to contributions expected from the health sector (data, notification, post-trauma care), the implications of the sector have increased, particularly with regard to health promotion, the call for intersectoral collaboration, equity and sustainability aspects, influenced by the United Nations 2030 Agenda.