Australia calls for Asia-Pacific cooperation on road toll

Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Transport Minister Mark Vaile on Wednesday called for greater international cooperation to reduce the road toll across the Asia- Pacific region.

He was speaking on the opening day of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum's transport ministers' conference in Adelaide, the capital of the state of South Australia.

His remarks came as the World Health Organization estimates the number of road traffic fatalities will nearly double by 2020.

Vaile said with more than 1,000 people killed every day in Asia- Pacific nations, countries have to work together in areas such as developing better road infrastructure and safer vehicles.

"Deaths and injuries in road crashes are also a major health problem throughout the world," he was quoted by Australian Broadcasting Corporation radio as saying.

"Apart from the human loss and suffering, there are other massive economic costs like the direct health care costs," he said.

The conference has also called for greater action to stop the world's road toll reaching nearly 2 million annually by 2020.

The three-day meeting is expected to discuss transport's role in trade liberalization and facilitation, transport safety and transport security.

Vaile has said the meeting would examine ways to strengthen transport security across the region against the risk of terrorist attacks.

Source: Xinhua