Case Study: Child Road Safety in the Republic of Moldova

According to the most recent data published by UNICEF, road traffic accidents remain one of the leading causes of death among children and adolescents worldwide. Nearly 220,000 young people aged 0 to 19 lose their lives each year due to road collisions — the equivalent of over 600 deaths every day.

In the Republic of Moldova, the scale of the problem is particularly severe. Each year, road accidents cause approximately 25 deaths and over 100 serious injuries among children and adolescents. The country records one death for every 10 accidents — more than four times higher than the European Union average, where the ratio is one death per 45 accidents.

For many children in Moldova, the daily journey to and from school involves significant risks. Students in both urban and rural areas face numerous risk factors, such as excessive traffic speed near educational institutions, lack of pedestrian infrastructure (sidewalks, crosswalks), and low awareness of road safety rules — among both drivers and pedestrians.

UNICEF firmly supports every child's right to grow up in a safe, healthy, and protected environment. From 2023 to 2025, in partnership with the Automobile Club of Moldova, the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA), and the FIA Foundation, UNICEF is implementing the “Safe Journeys to School” initiative.

The project focused on assessing road infrastructure in three towns — Edineț, Ialoveni, and Șoldănești — and upgrading 18 high-risk school zones. Implemented measures include more visible road markings, appropriate traffic signage, installation of traffic calming devices, and the introduction of a 30 km/h speed limit within school zones — a crucial intervention for accident prevention.

The approach has been integrated, combining infrastructure improvements with education, community engagement, and advocacy for public policies focused on child traffic safety.

Key results of the initiative:

• A 95% increase in the number of drivers yielding to pedestrians;
• Over 110,000 children reached through road safety education and awareness activities;
• Approval and integration of road safety education into the formal education curriculum by the Ministry of Education.

Please refer to the attached case study for more details.