The Commission for Global Road Safety, which first proposed the forthcoming UN Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011-2020, has published a report that suggests there should be a levy of $2 (€1.4) on every new car sold, which would be paid by customers on a voluntary basis.

The opt-out levy, which is modelled on similar voluntary arrangements to raise money for other public health epidemics, could raise up to $140 million a year, which would be used for country-level implementation of road safety programmes.

Lord Robertson of Port Ellen, chairman of the Commission for Global Road Safety, said: 'With the UN Decade of Action for Road Safety we have the opportunity to save millions of lives. It is up to all of us to make this happen, to make it our Decade of Action. Car manufacturers and dealers can play an important, visible and positive role in saving lives and preventing disability, and we encourage them to support our proposal for a safety levy. It is in all of our interests – for economic productivity, for the health of family, friends and colleagues, for the protection of our children – to make our roads safer. Now is the time for action.'

The UN Decade of Action has been established to combat a growing global public health crisis of road fatalities and injuries. An estimated 1.3 million people each year are killed and 50 million more are injured on the roads.