Renowned French film maker supports UN road safety efforts for children


Some 500 children worldwide are killed every day in road crashes, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

For this reason, renowned French film maker Luc Besson has joined UN efforts to make it safer for children to get to and from school.

Luc Besson, director of blockbusters such as 'Lucy' and 'The Fifth Element,' highlights the dangers children face in commuting to school.

The film was shot on location in South Africa and France and shows how lack of safe infrastructure and heavy traffic put children at risk.

Children are seen trying to cross a road as traffic whizzes past them, or running into a busy city street to chase after a ball.

Both scenarios end in tragedy.

Road traffic crashes are the number one killer of people aged 15-29 years, according to Jean Todt, president of Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) and Special Envoy of the UN Secretary-General for Road Safety.

The film was released on Wednesday in support of the campaign #SaveKidsLives, coordinated by the UN Global Road Safety Collaboration.

The campaign was launched in May as part of the third UN Road Safety Week, which focused on children.

SOURCE:Dianne Penn, United Nations.