DRSC connects with alumni and partners across a busy week of global road safety events

In March, Transforming Transportation 2026 brought together the global transport community for its annual forum in Washington, DC. Organised by the World Bank and WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities, the meeting focuses on transport solutions in developing countries that address both climate and development goals.

DRSC lecturer, Dr Hilda María Gómez, along with several alumni from across Latin America, Africa, and Asia attended the forum, taking advantage of the opportunity to connect with colleagues, partners, and members of the broader road safety and sustainable mobility community.

A highlight of the conference for us was an informal alumni lunch coordinated by Hilda, bringing together five DRSC alumni for an opportunity to reconnect. It was a welcome opportunity to catch up informally and hear how alumni are applying their road safety work across different contexts. We are grateful to everyone who made time to join.

The days surrounding the main Transforming Transportation forum were equally packed with activity. On 12 March, Hilda and DRSC alumna Nathaly Torregroza participated in a meeting of the WHO-led Powered Two- and Three-Wheeler Technical Advisory Group, of which they are both members. Convened for the first time in 2024, this group brings together leading experts from governments and research institutions across countries with high numbers of powered two- and three-wheelers, with the goal of shaping laws, policies, regulations and research to reduce fatal crashes and support the shift to more sustainable transport systems. It is an area where DRSC has been increasingly active, including through our recent online course on powered two-wheeler road safety led by Hilda – who this week is also in Cancún, Mexico, participating in a PAHO/WHO-led workshop as part of a UN Road Safety Fund-supported project to strengthen legal and regulatory frameworks for motorcyclist safety across five countries in the Americas.

The following day, Hilda also took part in an expert convening on “Accelerating Progress Towards Road Safety: Developing a Research Agenda for Sustainable and Safe Mobility” coordinated by Johns Hopkins International Injury Research Unit (JH-IIRU) and the Road Traffic Injuries Research Network, with support from Bloomberg Philanthropies and the World Health Organisation. The meeting brought together experts and leaders from organisations including the World Bank, FIA Foundation, Vital Strategies, iRAP, Youth for Road Safety, and the George Institute for Global Health, to build consensus around a forward-looking research agenda connecting road safety with planetary health, sustainable mobility, and equity.

Hilda’s participation across this week of events, alongside the presence of several DRSC alumni among the wider gathering, reflects the strength of DRSC’s connections within the global road safety community. We are proud of the role our faculty and alumni play in shaping it.